Jim Goulart

Well, that was certainly a unique thread bump after three months. Guess I'll edit out the "Breaking News" from the subject heading...

You misunderstood -- I said break camp with "a team", meaning that he would be able to begin his minor league season on Opening Day, instead of staying in Arizona to rehab his ankle further.

If you listen to the full archived show, the Brewers' portion begins at the 39:00 minute mark. Reid Nichols was the one interview, so his linked interview above will meet your listening needs on its own. Angel Salome "should" (I perceived "might") be able to break camp with a team, coming off his broken ankle. Nichols still especially high on him. Reid spoke highly of Lorenzo Cain, otherwise obligatory Ryan Braun and Yovani Gallardo discussion, nothing wrong with that. Darren Ford and Jeremy Jeffress also discussed in some detail...

Currently on the home page of MiLB.com, you can listen to a direct link to: The Brewers' Reid Nichols focuses on five of the team's stud prospects, including Yovani Gallardo. web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp In case you're reading this a few days from its post date, here's the link to the archive page from where you can listen to the entire show, which includes more on the Brewers (the Yankees are also included on this version of "Around the Minors"). The date you want is "February 13th". mlb.mlb.com/mlb/radio/mlb...rchive.jsp Here's the link to the podcast page for the show: mlb.mlb.com/mlb/audio/podcast/index.jsp

Well, this will only affect one roster spot, and at Huntsville only, but here goes: Major League Baseball recently passed a new rule making the roster limits at the Double-A level 24 players throughout the entire season instead of the old rules where the roster limits shifted from 24 players to 23 players and then back to 24 players. Under the previous roster rules, Double-A teams began the season with 24 players and dropped to 23 players after 30 days. Rosters would again expand to 24 players for the final 30 days off the regular season. We believe those old rules are still in place for AAA.

I wasn't able to listen to the show live, but will keep an eye out and will let folks know when the archive is available. Jonathan Mayo and Lisa Winston take a look a the Yankees organization with senior VP for baseball operations Mark Newman and the Brewers with assistant director for player development Tony Diggs.

MLB Radio's Blog Preview of the Show: minors.mlblogs.com/around...ers_a.html Brewers (courtesy of Jonathan) 3B Ryan Braun P Yovani Gallardo P Will Inman P Jeremy Jeffress OF Lorenzo Cain Notes from Jonathan: That fifth fave was a tough one. After the top two (maybe three with Inman), there's a bit of a dropoff in terms of prospect status. I toyed with some other names there, but the guy (Cain) did set some records in West Virginia last year. Does he have a long way to go? Sure, but considering how raw he is, he's already ahead of schedule in many ways. CINDERELLA/SLEEPER: Angel Salome. He was my first choice for that fifth fave, but decided he belongs here. Simply, a 5-foot-7 catcher isn't supposed to make it. Get your thoughts in...talk to everyone on the air

MLB Radio will have the Brewers and Yankees systems featured in their weekly look at minor league organizations. The show airs live 11:00 AM Central Tuesday the 13th and will archive. Interviews are normally included. mlb.mlb.com/mlb/radio/index.jsp

Rotoworld the latest, with Top 10's from all NL Central teams at this link -- Brewers' text included here: www.rotoworld.com/content...leid=27756 Milwaukee Brewers 1. Yovani Gallardo - RHP - DOB: 02/27/86 - ETA: Aug. 2007 6-3, 2.09 ERA, 54 H, 103/23 K/BB in 77 2/3 IP for Single-A Brevard County 5-2, 1.63 ERA, 50 H, 85/28 K/BB in 77 1/3 IP for Double-A Huntsville After a season in which he struck out 188 and gave up just 104 hits in 155 innings, Gallardo can't be put too far behind Philip Hughes and Homer Bailey in a rundown of the game's best pitching prospects, especially since he may be a better bet than either to remain healthy. The 2004 second-round pick throws 90-94 mph and has an excellent curveball. Capable of mixing in a slider and a changeup, he's able to keep hitters guessing and is especially lethal when he's ahead in the count. He's on his way to becoming a No. 2 starter, and he could be ready to help out by the second half of the year. 2. Ryan Braun - 3B - DOB: 11/17/83 - ETA: Sept. 2007 .274/.346/.438, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 54/23 K/BB, 14 SB in 226 AB for Single-A Brevard County .303/.367/.589, 15 HR, 40 RBI, 46/21 K/BB, 12 SB in 231 AB for Double-A Huntsville .326/.396/.641, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 23/11 K/BB, 4 SB in 92 AB for Scottsdale (AFL) Braun was picked one spot after Ryan Zimmerman in the 2005 draft, going fifth overall. There are just as many questions about his glove now as there were then, but he has made rapid progress offensively, amassing a 916 OPS in his four minor league stops and then finishing third in the AFL in OPS last year. The right-handed-hitting Braun could bat .290-.300 with 25 homers per year once he settles in. Still to be determined is whether his long-term future is at third base or in left field. He has the range to handle the hot corner, but he may always be too error-prone. The Brewers might give him a long look at the position this year if Corey Koskie can't overcome his post-concussion syndrome. If Koskie is fine, then it's more likely Braun won't see the majors until September. 3. Will Inman - RHP - DOB: 02/06/87 - ETA: 2009 10-2, 1.71 ERA, 75 H, 134/24 K/BB in 110 2/3 IP for low Single-A West Virginia Inman's ERA actually stood at 1.40 before his final start, when he surrendered five runs and two of the three homers he gave up all year. Outstanding command of a low-90s fastball made the 2005 third-round pick one of the minors' most successful pitchers. He also has a curve and changeup that he can use to good effect. Still, there are negatives. None of his pitches project as a big strikeout weapon in the majors, and he did miss time last year with a sore shoulder. Also, as a flyball pitcher, he's certain to give up more homers going forward. He's probably going to be more Dave Bush than Ben Sheets. 4. Jeremy Jeffress - RHP - DOB: 09/21/87 - ETA: 2011 2-5, 5.88 ERA, 30 H, 37/25 K/BB in 33 2/3 IP for Rookie AZL Brewers With the 16th overall pick in last year's draft, the Brewers chose Jeffress, making him the 10th high school pitcher they've used a first-round selection on in franchise history. Five of them were top-six overall picks. Of the previous nine, only Jeff D'Amico, the 23rd overall pick in 1993, made it to the majors with the team. No one else had a career of significance, though Mark Rogers still has a chance. In the Brewers' defense, Jeffress might have been a top-five pick in the old days. With a fastball clocked regularly in the high-90s, he had perhaps the best velocity of any starter in the class. His second pitch is a slider that can be considered advanced only in comparison to his changeup. The Brewers will go very slowly with him and probably hold him out of full-season ball this year. If the pick pays off for Milwaukee, it's probably not going to be for several years. 5. Steve Hammond - LHP - DOB: 04/30/82 - ETA: May 2008 6-5, 2.53 ERA, 68 H, 70/23 K/BB in 85 1/3 IP for Single-A Brevard County 5-6, 2.93 ERA, 63 H, 58/23 K/BB in 73 2/3 IP for Double-A Huntsville Hammond was a reliever at Long Beach State, but the Brewers have used him as a starter since drafting him in the sixth round in 2005 and he's done nothing but impress. Since he throws in the low-90s, there's reason to believe he could make it as a starter in the majors. He has a changeup that's proven to be a weapon against righties. His third pitch, a slider, doesn't quite measure up yet, but he has room to improve. Though he's turning 25 this year, he's more like a 22-year-old in terms of experience, as he missed considerable time prior to being drafted with elbow troubles. Even if he fails to master the slider, he could be an effective sixth- and seventh-inning guy. The Brewers could call on him as a reliever this year. 6. Lorenzo Cain - OF - DOB: 04/13/86 - ETA: 2010 .307/.384/.425, 6 HR, 60 RBI, 104/58 K/BB, 34 SB in 527 AB for low Single-A West Virginia Cain was a raw talent when selected in the 17th round in 2004, but the Brewers saw enough to sign him as a draft and follow the following spring and he's made rapid progress ever since. His 36 doubles last year suggest that he could become a 20-homer guy as he continues to get stronger, and he has the speed to cover plenty of ground in the outfield, though the Brewers have already had him shift from center field to right. If he can continue to keep his strikeout total under control, he could have a future as a regular. 7. Cole Gillespie - OF - DOB: 06/20/84 - ETA: 2009 .344/.464/.548, 8 HR, 31 RBI, 34/40 K/BB, 18 SB in 186 AB for Rookie Helena More than adequately filling the void left by Jacoby Ellsbury's departure, Gillespie hit .374/.493/.685 for Oregon State last year, delivering 12 more homers than the one he had in his first two years combined. That still wasn't enough to make him a hot property on draft day, but the Brewers felt he was worthy of a third-round pick, and as should have been expected, he was more than a match for the Pioneer League after signing. Gillespie lacks exceptional tools and his glove figures to limit him to left field, but he should continue hitting for average and drawing walks. His chances of playing regularly hinge on him becoming a 20-homer guy. He may fall a little short, but he is interesting. 8. Zach Jackson - LHP - DOB: 05/13/83 - ETA: July 2007 4-6, 4.12 ERA, 106 H, 58/44 K/BB in 107 IP for Triple-A Nashville 2-2, 5.40 ERA, 48 H, 22/14 K/BB in 38 1/3 IP for Milwaukee Jackson went from A ball to the majors in one year and even had an organization switch mixed in, so it's forgivable that last year's results were less than exceptional. The bulk of his struggles in Triple-A came right after he was sent back to Nashville in mid-July. Jackson, a 2004 supplemental first-round pickoff the Blue Jays, arrived in Milwaukee in the Lyle Overbay deal. He typically averages 88-90 mph with his fastball or about three mph less with his cutter. His changeup is the best of the rest of his offerings. While last year's strikeout rate was truly disturbing, he does get enough on his pitches to make a career as a fourth or fifth starter likely. He'll be ready when needed this year, but with Carlos Villanueva ahead of him and Gallardo moving up quickly, he might have a better chance of helping the Brewers as a reliever. 9. Angel Salome - C - DOB: 06/08/86 - ETA: 2010 .292/.349/.447, 10 HR, 85 RBI, 63/39 K/BB, 7 SB in 418 AB for low Single-A West Virginia Lou Palmisano is no longer looking like much of a prospect, but the Brewers may have a new catcher of the future in Salome, a 2004 fifth-round pick. The 5-foot-7 native of the Dominican Republic showed the ability to hit for average and doubles power in the South Atlantic League last year. He did struggle defensively, but he has a terrific arm and the Brewers can work with him on the finer points of catching. He should join Cain and Gillespie in the Florida State League this year. 10. Mark Rogers - RHP - DOB: 01/30/86 - ETA: 2010 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 5 H, 5/2 K/BB in 4 IP for Rookie AZL Brewers 1-2, 5.07 ERA, 68 H, 96/53 K/BB in 71 IP for Single-A Brevard County Rogers, the fifth overall pick in the 2004 draft, seemed poised for a breakthough 2006, but it never materialized. June was his only strong month and shoulder troubles followed in July. The decision was made in December to have him undergo surgery to repair a damaged labrum, and he's likely to miss all of 2007. A healthy Rogers throws 92-96 mph and gets strikeouts with a hard curveball. If he makes it back in 2008, he could yet develop, maybe into a closer. Next five: LHP Manny Parra, OF Tony Gwynn Jr., OF Charlie Fermaint, 2B Hernan Iribarren, SS Alcides Escobar 2006 top 15: Prince Fielder, Corey Hart, Jose Capellan, Ryan Braun, Nelson Cruz, Zach Jackson, Mark Rogers, Will Inman, Hernan Iribarren, Manny Parra, Alcides Escobar, Ben Hendrickson, Dave Krynzel, Dennis Sarfate, Yovani Gallardo 2005 top 10: Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, Jose Capellan, J.J. Hardy, Corey Hart, Ben Hendrickson, Mark Rogers, Dave Krynzel, Manny Parra 2004 top 10: Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, J.J. Hardy, Brad Nelson, Mike Jones, Manny Parra, Corey Hart, Dave Krynzel, Jorge De La Rosa, Luis Martinez 2003 top 10: Corey Hart, Mike Jones, Brad Nelson, Prince Fielder, Dave Krynzel, J.J. Hardy, Ben Hendrickson, Manny Parra, Ben Diggins, Bill Hall

Link while active, text follows: www.floridatoday.com/apps...002/SPORTS Manatees expand audience New media chief helps minor league team connect with radio, online BY JIM CAWLEY FLORIDA TODAY VIERA -- - Brevard County Manatees players aren't in the major leagues yet, but to local fans, it may soon sound like they are. Scott Pinner, hired this season as the Manatees' director of broadcasting and media, is spearheading a new broadcast initiative at Space Coast Stadium that will include games on the radio and online, as well as an in-house signal (94.5 FM) that will allow fans who bring in a radio to listen to the game while they are watching it live. Pinner will handle Manatees play-by-play; Mississippi State graduate Mark Muzzi, who played on the Bulldogs' 2005 SEC championship baseball team, is in charge of color commentary; and Penn State junior Lauren Ferrell will do the on-field reporting. "So we have a three-person radio team, which usually you only get at the Triple-A or major-league level," Pinner said. The Manatees are a Class-A advanced affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Starting with the home opener against the Daytona Cubs on April 5 (7 p.m.), Manatees games can be heard on WIXC AM-1060 and WMEL AM-920. WIXC will carry all Wednesday and Thursday games, while WMEL will broadcast the Saturday game of the week. In all, about 60 of Brevard County's 70 home games will be covered on the radio. Fans also can listen to all 140 games online at www.manateesbaseball.com. That's a nice perk for the players' families, who are located in different parts of the country -- and in some cases -- different parts of the world. "I'm real happy knowing that a 21-year-old kid has a chance to have his folks listen to the games at home," Pinner said. Pinner hopes to add live video for 20 of the games to the Web site presentation. There also will be an in-stadium video feed that will help fans decide what to do when rain threatens. "So the hundred calls we get on rain days saying, 'Hey, is it raining at the stadium?' Now you can go to our Web site," said Manatees general manager Buck Rogers. "There's a live feed and you can see if the tarp is on the field or not." Experience factor If it involves sports and media, chances are Pinner has done it. For the past three years, Pinner has been the lead announcer at Disney's Wide World of Sports. He has been the lead announcer for Atlanta Braves spring training games the past two seasons, as well as the public address announcer for select Houston Astros spring training games at Osceola County Stadium. Pinner was the PA announcer for the inaugural World Baseball Classic, handling the Orlando region games. He is the national voice for Pop Warner and has worked the organization's past three Super Bowls. In 2003-04, Pinner was the radio voice for the University of North Florida. While there, he created the UNF Radio Network, which is still going strong. The North Merritt Island resident also played a major role in announcing college sports, and was named the Voice of Softball in America by Softball Magazine in 1998. "Scott is coming in here bringing a wealth of experience and is going to take the fan experience to the next level," Rogers said. "He's got the knowledge, he's got the vision . . . We're so fortunate to have him -- the fans are going to love what he does." They might even love it as much as Pinner. The University of Georgia graduate is smiling a lot these days and the reason is simple. "Because baseball is fun," Pinner said. "And the best place you can take your two kids and the wife on a Wednesday night in the summer is the ballpark. It's enjoyable, it's entertaining; you never know what's gonna happen and you can see the future of the Milwaukee Brewers play. It's the best seven-dollar ticket in town." Perfect fit Pinner's position with the team happened almost by accident. He originally came in to talk with Rogers and team president Charlie Baumann about a sales position, but the discussion quickly turned to Pinner's vast media knowledge. "Buck and I made the decision right there and then," Baumann said. "I didn't want to let him leave. It was clear he would be a really, really nice fit." Baumann had originally met Pinner -- and was impressed with him -- the previous year when he was interviewed on "The Manatee Minute," a segment that ran on Pinner's "Space Coast Sports" show on Brighthouse Networks. Pinner still produces the 30-minute show, which appears on Channel 15 every Thursday at 7 p.m. The show is replayed Mondays at 6 p.m. You'll also hear Pinner's voice at Space Coast Stadium for Washington Nationals spring training games. He'll be the PA for all 14 home games. "I've been real lucky," he said. "God gave me a good set of pipes." Several Manatees commercials are in the works with the plan of airing them on Bright House in the near future. Expect plenty of spoofs, Manny the Manatee -- and of course -- Scott Pinner. "We've got big plans for Scott," Baumann said. "He greatly enhances the Manatees experience for the fans. Our goal is to provide a quality, affordable family experience for the people in Brevard, and I think Scott helps us accomplish that goal."

The Cardinals' Top 10 features kids drafted the last two years, so a way's away: www.baseballamerica.com/t...63261.html

Pre-Game Warmup Question: Prince Fielder hit a home run in each of his very first games with four different Brewer affiliates -- name the teams. Ogden and Beloit (2002), Huntsville (2004), Nashville (2005) Level One: Sacrifice Bunt Which Brewer farmhand is the brother-in-law of the Astros' Lance Berkman? (The player's sister married Lance...) 2003 4th round RHP Josh Baker (who missed all of 2006) Second chance on the bunt level: Who was the starting pitcher for the Sounds in the Brewers' first game as a Nashville affiliate in April 2005? Jose Capellan Level Two: Ground Rule Double There are nine native Canadians (born in Canada) in the Brewers organization (major and minor league) as of today. Six have never played above rookie ball, so it'll help if you're familiar with the kids and recent draftees. I'm feeling generous this time around, so I'll tell you seven of the nine are pitchers. Since it's only for a ground-rule double, you're OK if you can name at least seven. 3B Corey Koskie RHP Vince Perkins RHP Mike Meyers And the rookie ball kids -- INF Taylor Green RHP Mike James RHP Craig Langille RHP Alexandre Periaird RHP Brock Kjeldgaard RHP Chris Toneguzzi Level Three: Bases-Clearing Triple There's now an epidemic of current Brewers (major and minor league) who go primarily by some form of initials as their first name. This is a bases-clearing triple, so you're not correct unless you fill in all the last names below. If you don't get the first one right, you might as well stop right there: J.J. Hardy J.T. King E.J. Shanks D.J. Neyens D.J. Lidyard C.J. Medlin R.J. Seidel R.A. Dickey J.D. Closser J.R. Hopf Realistically, regular Link Report readers should have named Hardy (obviously) and Medlin, then Closser and Dickey, even though they're new to the organization. If you got some of the kids, good for you. Heck, three of them (Lidyard, Seidel, and Shanks -- have yet to throw their first pitch for the organization.) Level Four: Turning an Unassisted Triple Play while Hitting for the Cycle The Brewers have drafted six catchers in the first ten rounds of the June draft since the year 2000. Name them. Jason Belcher (5th round, 2000) Jeremy Frost (10th round, 2002) Lou Palmisano (3rd round, 2003) Bryan Opdyke (5th round, 2003) Angel Salome (5th round, 2004) Andy Bouchie (7th round, 2006) Then add on this one: Name the catcher drafted in the 15th round of the 2001 draft who is still in the organization today. When now-promising RHP Tim Dillard was drafted in 2001 and then again in 2002 (34th round), it was as a catcher. He signed as a draft-and-follow, beginning his pro career in 2003 (on the mound, not behind the plate). ***We'll try to do this again next January to help pass the winter months. Thanks for playing along!

From the Sounds GM: Dear Sounds fan, I am writing to share important information about the proposed downtown ballpark. As you know the Sounds, Metro and Struever Brothers have been targeting an April 2008 completion date for the Ballpark. Unfortunately the requirements of the project are dictating an April 2009 Ballpark completion date. Ballpark construction cannot begin until the construction account is fully funded from contributions by the Sounds and our development partner Struever Brothers. Although we had hoped this funding would occur in time to allow a 2008 completion date we have now passed the critical funding date for a 2008 completion to occur. We fully expect a full funding of the construction account will occur by April 15, 2007. We remain enthusiastic and committed to this great Downtown Development Project and look forward to the many benefits this project will bring to Nashville. The entire Sounds organization thanks you for your continued support and patience. Please contact me or anyone on our staff if you would like additional information about the progress of the new Ballpark. Sincerely, Glenn Yaeger General Manager Nashville Sounds

I still don't understand when a player is put on waivers isn't claimed but still is property of the waiving team. If the player is being taken off a 40-man roster for the first time in his career, and has less than seven professional seasons under his belt, he cannot elect free agency. A player who is taken off more than once (let's pretend Chris Demaria was added again this spring and outrighted again in June) could choose free agency even though he does not have the requisite number of years.

Nashville needs pitchers also. But Ben H. is out of options, and after 9+ seasons in the Brewers system (drafted in '98) , would most undoubtedly not resign a minor league deal with the Crew, would he not be claimed on waivers. Edit: Wow, I think that sentence is a triple-negative somehow...

I always assumed that all managers and coaches in the system worked all spring in Maryvale as well, but none of the Huntsville staff (Money, Sauveur, and Guerrero) are listed on the list Jamie provided, so I'm not so sure of its accuracy. I'm not sure where he copied that from.

Former Brewer draft pick Hunter Pence the Astros' # 1 prospect: www.baseballamerica.com/t...63295.html The Cubs were also posted earlier in the week: www.baseballamerica.com/t...63251.html The Brewers link is once again free: www.baseballamerica.com/t...63202.html

Helena will need a new manager now... Link while active, text follows: www.newsargus.com/sports/...ndex.shtml Johnny Narron headed to Cincy By Steve Roush, Goldsboro (N.C.) News-Argus The last time the Narron brothers were teammates, Richard Nixon's presidency was about to come to an abrupt end. "Blazing Saddles" and "The Godfather Part II" were playing in the theaters, "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet," "Kung Fu Fighting," "Jungle Boogie" and "Seasons in the Sun" topped the charts, and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "M*A*S*H," "The Waltons" and "All in the Family" were watched on television sets across the country. Fresh out of Goldsboro High, young Jerry Narron was hitting third in the lineup and playing catcher. Johnny, his big brother, was batting cleanup and playing first base for Johnson City (Tenn.) in the New York Yankees' farm system. It was 1974, the year Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth on the home run list and Reggie Jackson's Oakland A's repeated as World Series champions. "One of the biggest thrills I ever had was playing with my brother Johnny in rookie ball with the Yankees," recalls Jerry Narron, now 51. "We signed the same year -- he signed out of East Carolina and I signed out of high school -- and one of the biggest reasons I signed was to play with my brother." Now more than 30 years later, they're back together again for another season in the sun. The Cincinnati Reds officially announced over the weekend that Johnny has been hired as the team's video-administrative coach. He will serve under Jerry, who is entering his second full season as the club's manager. "I'm extremely excited," Johnny said. "We played together in the minors back in '74, but we haven't been together since. Now, to be in the big leagues at the same time with the same team, this will be a wonderful experience. Very few people ever get an opportunity to get to the big leagues in any capacity, and for me to be with Jerry and the Reds is a true blessing." The elder Narron was under contract with the Milwaukee Brewers organization to serve as manager of their Pioneer League team in Helena (Mont.) this season, but the Brewers released him from his deal so he could take his first big league coaching job. "Milwaukee was very cooperative," Johnny said. "They saw I had a chance to be at the big league level, and I'm very grateful that they allowed me to do this." Johnny, 55, joined the Brewers organization in 2003 after serving six seasons as an associate scout with the Atlanta Braves system. He also managed Helena in 2004 and was the team's hitting coach in 2003. He has also served as a hitting instructor for the West Virginia Power, Milwaukee's low class-A affiliate, and the Brevard County (Fla.) Manatees of the Florida State League. A 1970 graduate of Goldsboro High, Johnny went on to play baseball at ECU before playing minor league baseball in the Yankees and Chicago White Sox organizations from 1974-78. Now he's a Red, just like his brother. "My brother is going to video our games when we're on the road, he's going to be an assistant coach with our coaching staff, he does a great job of teaching hitting, he's given lessons for quite a few years and he's coached at every level," Jerry said. "I look forward to this year, he's going to be in the big leagues and he's going to see some things he's never thought about seeing before."

Looks bad for the future of baseball in Beloit, including this link: www.beloitdailynews.com/a...news02.txt This link includes several of the newspaper story links that led to the one just above: www.oursportscentral.com/.../?t_id=335

Exactly what does this exercise accomplish? B.J. Upton would fetch a lot more than Carlos Villanueva for Tampa Bay. So now we're up to the value of Jake Westbrook somehow eventually coming back to the Brewers? Until someone starts including multi-player suggestions to allow value to be split up some, this seems like something that's asking to be kiboshed at some point here. Man, can't wait for pitchers and catchers to report to save us from experiments like this. And sorry to our new friend bradyo, I don't mean to soujnd "grinchy" to our new posters lately...

We all think of Dana Eveland and Manny Parra, but let's remember that Lorenzo Cain, Darren Ford, Tim Dillard, Robert Hinton, and Derek Miller are all DFE's. Others are still at the lower levels and are too early in their careers to comment on.

You'll notice in that prior post that RHP Gerry Oakes (7th round, 2000) was signed by San Francisco. He really struggled in 2002 with Beloit, but was only 20 years old, and was included with since re-acquired Matt Yeatman in the Matt Kinney / Javier Valentin trade with Minnesota that offseason. More struggles with the Twins, then a brief and non-glorious stint in indy ball, and the Braves, Rangers, and now Giants see something there to keep getting him affiliated contracts. It must be the raw stuff, because we see pitchers with much better numbers released by the Crew every fall and spring. Oakes' career numbers are so horrifically bad they really deserve your attention at least once -- check out the stats, including those walk per nine inning numbers: www.thebaseballcube.com/p...akes.shtml

Here are the latest signees from Baseball America -- they will be combined in to the master a list a few posts up later this week. Arizona Diamondbacks signed 2B Matt Erickson Cincinnati Reds signed C J.C. Boscan Cleveland Indians signed 3B Keith Ginter Colorado Rockies signed LHP Matt Ford Houston Astros signed SS Danny Klassen Philadelphia Phillies signed OF Lou Collier San Francisco Giants signed RHP Gerry Oakes Seattle Mariners signed RHP Carlo Alvarado

So did Kevin Roberts get all his friends and family together to ask about him? Seems to be an inordinate number of questions about a player outside the top 30. It's not like all the Kevin Roberts questions had to be selected by BA and Tom unless there simply weren't enough questions coming in at the time. It's too bad that BA chooses to make most of their chats a pay feature, because it certainly limits the number of questioners and variety of questions.

OK, pitchers and catchers report soon, so this will be our final trivia round for this offseason. As always, see how well you can do before you rush to the Brewerfan Player Index or other sources for research and answers. Please don't post any of your guesses (uh, I mean answers http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif ) so that others reading over the next few days can play along. Official answers will be posted sometime Wednesday night the 7th. Pre-Game Warmup Question: Prince Fielder hit a home run in each of his very first games with four different Brewer affiliates -- name the teams. Level One: Sacrifice Bunt Which Brewer farmhand is the brother-in-law of the Astros' Lance Berkman? (The player's sister married Lance...) Second chance on the bunt level: Who was the starting pitcher for the Sounds in the Brewers' first game as a Nashville affiliate in April 2005? Level Two: Ground Rule Double There are nine native Canadians (born in Canada) in the Brewers organization (major and minor league) as of today. Six have never played above rookie ball, so it'll help if you're familiar with the kids and recent draftees. I'm feeling generous this time around, so I'll tell you seven of the nine are pitchers. Since it's only for a ground-rule double, you're OK if you can name at least seven. Level Three: Bases-Clearing Triple There's now an epidemic of current Brewers (major and minor league) who go primarily by some form of initials as their first name. This is a bases-clearing triple, so you're not correct unless you fill in all the last names below. If you don't get the first one right, you might as well stop right there: J.J. J.T. E.J D.J. D.J. (again, there's two D.J.'s) C.J. R.J. R.A. J.D. J.R. Level Four: Turning an Unassisted Triple Play while Hitting for the Cycle The Brewers have drafted six catchers in the first ten rounds of the June draft since the year 2000. Name them. Not as easy as you think, but if you think so, then add on this one: Name the catcher drafted in the 15th round of the 2001 draft who is still in the organization today. Until Wednesday then, good luck!