Jim Goulart

Nice story on Johnny Narron, whom the Brewers gave permission to join the big league club in Cincinnati with younger brother Jerry (Johnny was scheduled to manage in Helena in 2007): news.enquirer.com/apps/pb...0/1062/SPT

Gameday link if you want to catch up on the game log: mlb.mlb.com/news/boxscore...b_milmlb_1 Ugh -- three bombs served up by Suppan, miscommunication between Clark and Nix, misplay by Chavez, Zach Jack getting hit hard. Although except for Suppan, we're not talking about vital starting members of the 2007 Crew.

On Talkin' Brewers today, it was mentioned that Doug had "touched base" with about a dozen clubs in the last day or so, but everyone still seems to be in self-analysis mode of their own rosters -- still a bit too early, expect things to heat up in a week or so...

I thought Dennis was out of options....did we just miscalculate last year? From poster IIAY: Seasons spent entirely in short-season leagues (the New-York Penn, Northwest, Pioneer, Appalachian, Gulf Coast, and Arizona Rookie Leagues, as well as the Dominican and Venezuelan Summer Leagues) don't count as seasons for the purposes of a fourth option. Dennis spent the entire 2001 and 2002 seasons in short-season leagues (with Arizona and Ogden), so they don?t count toward his seasons. Therefore, he would be entering his fifth ?season? as far as options are concerned. Since he is entering his fifth ?season? and has has been optioned in three separate years, he gets a fourth option. Obscure rule, you'll see even less often in the future now that players don't need to be added to the 40-man until after four pro years, not three.

Morry Gash of the Associated Press with this photo of Prince's follow-through on the home run: http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070308/capt.azmg20403082255.giants_brewers_spring_baseball_azmg204.jpg

Adam McCalvy of MLB.com included in his note column tonight that Mike Jones' final option was used today with his assignment to Huntsville. Unlike Dennis Sarfate, there won't be a 4th option year, see the linked thread here if you're wondering about that. We had been hinting at this for the last year in the Link Reports and such (that this is Jones' final option year). p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...3719.topic Coming out of spring training next year, Jones would have to make the Brewers out of camp or be exposed to waivers. Let's hope it even becomes an issue at all -- good luck to Mike.

That was exciting to listen to -- hopefully we see that many times in the regular season! Back-to-back pitches!

Balfour has now failed to get through an inning in two of his three appearances.

Gameday: mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/y...;brand=mlb

Latest editorial from the Nashville City Paper -- wonder if the Brewers can escape their four-year player development contract if need be. Link while active, text follows: www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=55023 Sounds need to step up to the plate The saga of the Nashville Sounds is getting to be a very tired, aggravating story. And if the team fails to meet a series of deadlines this week to get Metro government documents and plans for their proposed new ballpark, the Sounds tale may come to a very anti-climactic end. We are pulling for the Sounds as are their fans, the business community and quite a few public officials. Minor League ballparks have been key to the development of quite a few thriving urban centers in the South and Midwest. It is quality, affordable sports entertainment that is family and fan friendly. The Sounds handling of this opportunity to build a new ballpark has been nothing short of astonishing. Deadline after deadline has been missed, seemingly without any explanation. There is always what appears to be on the front end a very plausible, businesslike excuse as to why paperwork and financing deadlines are missed. When one adds it up, it begins to appear the Sounds simply are not capable of getting their act together on this project. The key may be in their last request to Metro and their development partner for each entity to get more involved in the project, something that appeared to observers to be a plea for more money. The Sounds already have a good deal, and Metro should not change its offer. Metro attorneys have set forth this week as being key to the Sounds deal, as many documents on design and financing are needed to get the project through Metro government?s many boards and committees in time for an April Metro Council vote. If the Sounds cannot meet deadlines this week, they need to end the ongoing game of wordplay and explain in simple terms why not. They also, should they miss the deadline, step up and give Nashville?s fans, elected officials and taxpayers a real accounting of the possibilities of this development actually happening. The Sounds have a hearty fan base, a business community and the city?s elected officials pulling for them. They need to remember that and offer a very straightforward answer as to whether or not they can pull off this project as an organization. ***Here's a link to a story in today's Tennessean with more. It includes this quote which is rather ominous: "We know the requirements, we know the deadline, and we're prepared to live with the consequences," (Sounds GM Glenn) Yaeger said Wednesday. tennessean.com/apps/pbcs..../703080378

milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com...p?c_id=mil Perhaps not technically invites to major league camp, but nontheless several players added to MLB.com's list who appeared in Wednesday's split-squad games. Go to the MLB.com scoreboard for the two boxes from the 7th to see how everyone did (Cole Gillespie and Mat Gamel with singles, for instance, Gamel driving in two).

Cool -- two shortstops! Third base is overrated anyway. And please don't bump the "Haudricourt Error Thread", although, well, we could -- but it's a typo, let's be fair.

Jonathan Mayo with more from the day he spent in Maryvale February 28th -- within this report, we learn that 2006 5th round pick Chris Errecart is now a first baseman (and automatically becomes the Brewers' top prospect at that position, which had been thin otherwise). More good stuff here from MiLB.com: web.minorleaguebaseball.c...;fext=.jsp

RHP Brett Evert (2005-06), takes an independent league assignment with the Lancaster (PA) Barnstormers of the Atlantic League. Still just 26, Evert's career numbers suggest he should still be in affiliated ball: www.thebaseballcube.com/p...vert.shtml

There are only so many stories to write in spring training. Both Parra and Jones threw on Monday, and both Haudricourt and McCalvy have pretty much gone through the "starters" and "by position" analyses, so focusing on these two today made sense. Certainly each will have a Yohannis Perez story at some point, and there will be elements of today's AP story in each. I know I can be harsh on Tom in particular, but keeping in mind that there isn't a need to have real "game stories" in the spring -- which would lend themselves to strategy analysis, etc., namely, things to write about -- it's really a wonder to consider who or what will fill their newspaper and web pages for the next two weeks. I do anticipate there will be some trade activity and 40-man roster maneuvering to discuss, but that's still a ways away. We've seen the Koskie story, the Sedar and Skaalen story, the Doug and Gord story, etc. I'm pretty sure that Tom and Adam would tell you their pickings are getting slim. Maybe we'll see some Jeremy Jeffress or Cole Gillespie stuff soon, that'd be cool.

Link while active, text follows: www.fdlreporter.com/apps/...06002/1310 Brewers shortstop floating on air Perez happy to be in America running down his dream By COLIN FLY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOENIX ? Yohannis Perez smiles widely as he sits at his corner locker in the Milwaukee Brewers clubhouse. It?s a star-crossed look, one that borders between being extremely happy and blissfully unaware of what?s going on around him. He doesn?t know any English and is dependent on other players to translate for him to understand what?s going on. But he?s quick to name his favorite player ? Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. Perez, 24, defected from Cuba in July 2005 but had to wait to sign a minor league deal with Milwaukee until November. In the meantime, he trained in Miami and the Dominican Republic while trying to sort out visa problems that came after he spent ?three or four? days on a raft with 31 other strangers floating in the Gulf of Mexico. He was well-known in Cuba, where he played in the Cuban National League for Matanzas for six years and was twice named to the Super League, a postseason All-Star league featuring the top 100 Cuban players. He also was caught once before trying to leave the country. ?They sent me back,? Perez said through a clubhouse translator. ?Then, a group of people found out about it after I got caught. They told me if I wanted to go again, they would take me.? So Perez took up the offer, floating toward Florida and waiting to connect in Tampa with family that included cousins, an uncle and the girlfriend he had dated for eight years in Cuba. Milwaukee became interested in Perez, who had strong defensive abilities as a shortstop, after he resolved the visa issues. The Brewers signed him to a minor league contract in the offseason that included a reported $450,000 bonus. ?I was really happy for the contract I received,? said Perez, who added he sent most of the money back to Cuba. Perez has not stood out in camp, but general manager Doug Melvin said that it?s just a matter of time before Perez regains the form he had before his layoff. ?He?ll get stronger, arm strength-wise, and he?ll get stronger swinging the bat too, once he gets playing. He just hasn?t played in so long,? Melvin said. ?Players don?t actually lose it, but most of the time he?s just been in workouts.? Perez, who came into Monday?s game in a double switch after third baseman Tony Graffanino fouled a ball off his toe, said he understands he has a lot of work to do before he?ll play on the same field as Jeter. He?s batted 2-for-9 in four spring training games. ?As a fielder, I?m ready,? Perez said. ?But to learn and get my swing ready, it?s going to take time. I need to go down to the minors for a little bit.? It may be longer than that. As long as incumbent starter J.J. Hardy can stay healthy ? he only played in 35 games last season because of an ankle injury ? Perez may not get playing time in Milwaukee any time soon. But Melvin said Perez fits in the franchise?s big picture. ?Any time you get a chance to sign a middle infielder, they?re valuable commodities in the game,? Melvin said. ?He?s got good feet, he?s got quick hands, good release, good instincts, knows where to be. He knows how to play the game. He?s a player we think could play at the upper levels, Triple-A or Double-A, but we don?t know yet.? Teammate Yovani Gallardo said everyone helps Perez out as he begins his new career. ?He hasn?t told me about his past,? Gallardo said. ?He?s kind of a quiet guy.? But now that Perez is playing again, he?s already got another goal. ?I wanted to play baseball in the big leagues,? Perez said. ?Now, I want to get more playing time and be a starter.? Milwaukee Brewers' Yohannis Perez tries to keep warm before a spring training baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Saturday, March 3, 2007, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070303/capt.azmg20503032354.giants_brewers_spring_baseball_azmg205.jpg

Tom Haudricourt with a lengthy and quote-filled piece on Mike and Manny -- nice job: www.jsonline.com/story/in...?id=573289

How about 2002 3rd round RHP Eric "Mega" Thomas, landing with the Angels; speaking of the Angels, RHP Pedro Liriano returns to the organization that traded him to the Brewers; RHP Matt Childers signs with the Phillies, who seemingly are always inheriting former Brewer property -- many more additions in italics in the previous post.

Italics represent additions since the last update: Boston Red Sox: Signed OF Alex Ochoa Cleveland Indians: Signed 3B Keith Ginter Signed 2B Trent Durrington Chicago White Sox: Signed 2B Junior Spivey Detroit Tigers: Signed OF Jackson Melian Kansas City Royals: Signed RHP Leo Estrella (thanks for Carlos V.!) Signed 1B Graham Koonce Signed LHP Wayne Franklin Signed RHP Roberto Giron Los Angeles Angels: Signed RHP Chris Saenz Signed RHP Pedro Liriano Signed RHP Eric Thomas Minnesota Twins: Claimed INF Alejandro Machado from Washington in the Rule 5 Draft (Major League) Signed INF Jeff Cirillo (Major League) New York Yankees: Signed LHP Ron Villone Seattle Mariners: Signed RHP Justin Lehr Signed RHP Carlo Alvarado Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Signed RHP Gary Glover Signed RHP Al Reyes Signed C Raul Casanova Texas Rangers: Signed RHP Jamey Wright Toronto Blue Jays: Signed 1B Kevin Barker Signed RHP Jeremi Gonzalez Signed RHP Brian Wolfe Signed OF Matt Stairs Signed C Sal Fasano Arizona Diamondbacks: Signed C Mark Johnson Signed INF Matt Erickson Atlanta Braves: Signed RHP Jeff Bennett Signed RHP Joe Winkelsas Chicago Cubs: Signed 3B Mike Kinkade Cincinnati Reds: Signed C Chad Moeller (Major League) Signed INF Enrique Cruz Signed RHP Victor Santos Signed LHP Jason Kershner Signed C J.C. Boscan Colorado Rockies: Signed RHP Jon Huizinga Signed C Bryan Opdyke Signed LHP Matt Ford Florida Marlins: Signed SS John Raburn Signed INF Zach Sorensen Signed OF Alex Sanchez Signed RHP Wes Obermueller Signed 3B Scott Seabol Houston Astros: Signed RHP Travis Phelps Signed SS Danny Klassen Signed OF Noochie Varner Signed LHP Kelly Wunsch Los Angeles Dodgers: Signed RHP Travis Smith Signed C Kelly Stinnett New York Mets: Signed C Robinson Cancel Philadelphia Phillies: Signed LHP Brian Mazone Signed OF Jim Rushford Signed 3B Wes Helms (Major League) Signed RHP Kane Davis Signed INF Andrew Beattie Signed RHP Jeff Farnsworth Signed C Dusty Wathan Signed INF Brent Abernathy Signed OF Lou Collier Signed RHP Matt Childers Pittsburgh Pirates: Signed RHP Allan Simpson Signed INF Jose Hernandez Signed RHP Dan Kolb San Diego Padres: Signed SS Manny Alexander San Francisco Giants: Signed RHP Brian Bowles Signed INF Luis Figueroa Signed RHP Gerry Oakes Washington Nationals: Signed LHP Chris Michalak Signed LHP Luis Martinez Signed 2B Ronnie Belliard Signed LHP Ray King Hiroshima Carp (Japan): Signed RHP Jared Fernandez

Rotoworld, now done with their team lists, ranks the top 150 in baseball. # 12 - Gallardo # 14 - Braun # 73 - Inman #120 - Jeffress A notation that if Carlos Villanueva qualified, he'd be at # 120. D-Rays with 11 of the top 150 -- incredible. www.rotoworld.com/Content...icle=27859

Ouch -- should have been a double-play grounder to send the game to extras, but Ozzie "Smith" Chavez with the error that causes Greg Aquino to lose the game on the next at-bat. You know Ueck is not disappointed, at least on the inside.

Please, please, please let Derrick Turnbow keep this up all season...

colbyjack - there is nothing more interesting then watching Will Inman in person... I encourage you to go watch him ASAP... he is AMAZING!! Keep in mind the thread we've updated this offseason with audio (and some video) news from Brevard County, linked below. We should all have opportunities to "see" Will this season, at least on occasion. p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...3956.topic

Considering it was 4-0 when I jumped onboard and it's now 4-4 in the 7th, it's been an enjoyable afternoon listen with Ueck...

A nice review / preview from MiLB.com reminds us statistically just how well Tim Dillard and Joe Thatcher have been; interesting Reid Nichols quote on Steve Garrison; Alcides Escobar will return to the Florida State League; surprisingly, Darren Ford will repeat West Virginia, at least to start -- comments from Nichols again on the projected Lorenzo Cain - Cole Gillespie - Charlie Fermaint Brevard outfield, with Chris Errecart in the mix. A very informative article for this early in spring training, with tidbits we'd have waited weeks for normally. If Gillespie and Errecart are both skipping West Virginia, that'd be a tough loss for Power fans. Also notice how many "if's" involve the projected Power pitchers (Brae Wright, Mike Ramlow, Shawn Ferguson). I hope to be misguided in my thoughts that the West Virginia squad may need to really overachieve to be very competitive in the Sally League this spring. web.minorleaguebaseball.c...;fext=.jsp