Jim Goulart

David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com/ THE FISH THAT GOT AWAYThe boys are back in town. And they were even greeting the fans at the turnstiles. The Stars management pulled out all the stops for the opener........ Andy Pratt and Alec Zumwalt greeted fans as they came in on the first base side of the entrance while Stephen Bray and Mike Meyers greeted patrons and likewise handed out magnetic schedules........ Owner Miles Prentice was here as well as Southern League President Don Mincher and Mayor Loretta Spencer (who wished the Huntsville Stars good luck in winning the "tournament" at the end of the year. You can see how "support" for this team sure starts at the top). A marine color guard who had just come back from Iraq presented the colors and afterward, a barbershop quartet sung the National Anthem........ The weather was perfect, clear and 74° at gametime, yet by 6:30 there were empty seats everywhere. Pitcher Joe Winkelsas was astonished. "Is this all that's coming?" Our sports director at WHNT reminisced about the days before he left for a job in Milwaukee, that he remembered opening day crowds of 6,000 and more, and he was right.......... They've come late before, but the announced crowd of 1,829 was really disgraceful. It was the 2nd smallest crowd for a home opener in our 22-year history and it beat the lowest by just 468 on a night, April 7, 1990 when the gametime temperature was in the 40s......... A spike last year (5,350 for the opener vs. Carolina) brought the average attendance for the home opener the last five years to 2,975. The five-year average before that --- 6,113......... I've been to Rome (Georgia) couple of times, where the low Class A Braves, out in the middle of nowhere, play before responsive crowds and fill the seats...... I want to know one thing, because I haven't a clue. What is wrong with you Huntsville? Well, so much for that........ New names, new numbers........ It's peculiar that some Stars are dressing in single-digit uniform numbers other than # 5........ I've looked back in my scoresheets as far back as I could go, other than a coach here, a manager there, beginning with Scott Shockey in 1991, no one has ever worn a uniform number other that # 5........ Now there's Steve Moss: # 1, Kennard Bibbs going from # 14 to # 3, and Callix Crabbe going from # 15 to # 2. Just a meaningless curiousity. I asked Birmingham's radio voice, Curt Bloom, who's been there for years, how he compared this pitching staff with others he's seen in the past, and every year by my observation, the Barons always seem to have a formidable staff........ He didn't hesitate to compare it to the 2000 staff that featured Mark Buehrle, Rocky Biddle, and Matt Ginter, a staff that finished with a 3.15 ERA, 2nd in the Southern League........ Ray Liotta, the White Sox' top left-handed prospect (# 8 overall), and distantly related to the eponymously-named actor, backed his words up with a dominating performance tonight, catching the Stars off guard with off-speed pitches and then busting them inside with fastballs or knocking them like flies with his 12-to-6 curveball....... The former Brewer draft pick consistently threw everything in his repertoire for strikes and seldom went deep on anyone. Of course, the Stars are such free swingers anyway......... Moss went full before getting ahold off an 88 mph fastball and flying out to center to end the 1st. Adam Heether also went full in the 2nd and ended the inning hitting an 87 mph fastball to 2nd baseman Chris Getz........ Only when Birmingham pitchers got behind on the count, were Stars hitters generally successful........ Moss singled on a 3-1 pitch in the 4th, but Greg Sain got fooled on Liotta's off-speed pitch to end the inning......... Ron Acuna drew the only walk, giving him seven in his last four games, on a 3-1 pitch in the 5th....... Crabbe and Moss also got base hits when they were ahead in the count........ Lou Palmisano had a 1-1 count when he singled in the 5th, but it was a pop up that fell in front of right fielder Tony Collaro after some miscommunication with Getz going back over who would get it........... Heether was the lone exception, lining an 0-2 pitch to right-center for a one-hop hit.......... But all of Huntsville's hits were really scattered and only once did the Stars get two runners on with less than two outs. Carlos Villanueva looked good for two innings, throwing nine pitches, six for strikes in the 1st and 15 pitches, 11 for strikes in the 2nd, but he threw a total of 46 pitches in the next two innings as Birmingham hitters found the holes and lined pitches left and right.......... Chris Amador started a cycle with a leadoff home run that was lined over the WDRM sign on the first level, next to the scoreboard....... Then came in succession, a single by Gustavo Molina (no relation to the major league Molinas), a double by Chris Getz, a triple by Robert Valido, the Sox' # 7 prospect, and a single by Mark Quinn, who hit .294 for the Kansas City Royals in 135 games in 2000........ In the 4th, the Barons managed to get production from four of the first five hitters at the plate, capped by a no-doubter over the 2nd fence in left by Valido to make it 6-0......... Villanueva left after 70 pitches, 46 which were thrown for strikes (64.5%)........ Mike Meyers came on for the next four innings and retired five in a row before Getz picked up a single past Sain into the outfield. Wednesday, the Barons send Larry Broadway, the White Sox' # 9 prospect, and # 2 right-hander to Bobby Jenks in the organization, against Tim Dillard, who allowed just two hits in 6 1/3 innings in his debut last Friday. The Barons have now won 10 of the last 12 games between these two teams........ Tonight was the largest margin of defeat thus far this young season......... The Stars are now hitting .230 after six games. The slow start at the plate isn't anything new......... After the first ten games of the year for the last three years, the Stars have hit .219, .226, and .219. Ben Sheets, in his 2nd and final rehab appearance, went 5 2/3 scoreless innings against Iowa, striking out nine, getting the 4-1 win for the Nashville Sounds. Slumping Brad Nelson (.118) hit his first home run of the year. Nelson Cruz singled, doubled, homered, and drove in a pair of runs. Jeff Deardorff, starting in left field for Iowa, went 1-for-4, but singled in his last at-bat in the 9th.

Link while active, text follows: www.al.com/printer/printe...amp;coll=1 Stars do get some things right at start Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times Welcome to Opening Night by K-Tel. It was baseball, with a soundtrack. To introduce the Huntsville Stars was an apropos announcement: "The Boys Are Back In Town.'' And, indeed, they were. Their bats are expected to arrive in town soon. The Stars got skunked by Birmingham, 8-0. So much for making magical memories on Opening Night. The Stars managed only six hits, only two through the first six innings. The Barons hit for the cycle in the third - homer, single, double and triple - and pounded Carlos Villanueva, so impressive in his first start last week. Good news, bad news. Only 1,829 were on hand to watch. That's the good and the bad. Good, that there were so few witnesses. Bad, that last year's opener drew 5,350, albeit on a Friday night. There was, at one musical interlude, a snippet about "... the Big Boss Man ..." The Stars' Big Boss Man, Miles Prentice, was plenty visible on Tuesday night, schmoozing with the politicos and the fans. His signature is freshly dry on a new lease with the city of Huntsville that was only two years late in the making. Fitting music for the absentee owner's presence would have been "Blue Moon," as in his visits to Huntsville have come "once in a..." Naturally, there was the seventh-inning tradition. Why, only a few days ago, Mississippi manager Jeff Blauser was asking about Joe W. Davis Stadium, where he made some appearances while in a Greenville uniform, coming up through the Braves' system. "I remember they played 'Sweet Home Alabama' in the seventh-inning stretch,'' Blauser said. Some things never change. Including the park, since Blauser last played here, in the 1980s. In the eighth inning, Birmingham's Michael Myers came in as a pinch-hitter and faced Huntsville's reliever Michael Meyers. Quick on the trigger was Jamie Gilliam, handling the music in the press box. He cued up the "Halloween" theme, a tribute to the creepy movie guy. Cool. Before the game, the first-pitch ceremony was a most poignant one. For years, Shawn Bulman was a fixture at Joe W. Davis Stadium. He was a clubhouse attendant. He sold group tickets. He sold ads. He eventually became marketing director. Far cry from washing socks and jocks - but he did both with equal joy. Mostly, what "Bull" did was spread cheer all over the place. Last Dec. 19, he died in a car crash. He was 34. His young sons, Jack and Sam, accompanied their mom, Sharon, to the mound before the game. They went into their windups, and threw out the ceremonial first pitches. A classy move on the part of the Stars. The P.A. soundtrack was in the middle of a Rolling Stones standard. At the very moment of the pitches came the words "... make a grown man cry..." And, you know, it did. Contact Mark McCarter at markcolumn@aol.com

Link while active, text follows: www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...amp;coll=1 Huntsville's home opener hits big snag in 8-0 defeat By BRUCE McLELLAN Huntsville Times Associate Sports Editor brucem@htimes.com First the Huntsville Stars team bus hit a log on I-65 early Tuesday morning, with the collision cracking a side window and bending an axle. Then the team hit several bumps almost as jarring in its home opener Tuesday night. Starting pitcher Carlos Villanueva allowed the bottom two hitters in the Birmingham lineup to go 4-for-4 and score three runs, Huntsville managed only six scattered hits and fewer than 2,000 fans paid to watch the Stars lose 8-0 to the Barons at Joe Davis Stadium. At least the weather was pleasant. "It was a perfect night except for the final score," Stars manager Don Money said of the mild spring night. In the other dugout, things were almost perfect for Barons starting pitcher Ray Liotta and shortstop Robert Valido. Liotta enjoyed his own "Field of Dreams" - a movie that included the actor of the same name, who is a distant relative. The Barons' Liotta (1-0) allowed only two hits - the longer fell 10 feet into the outfield grass - struck out four and walked only one in six innings. "I just tried to hit my spots with my fastballs and my changeups," he said. "We didn't get enough pressure on him," Money said. "We fell behind early, and that takes some of the wind out of your sails." Valido, the Barons' No. 2 hitter, was the beneficiary of the bottom of the order getting on base. He drove in four runs with a two-run triple in the third and two-run homer in the fourth that gave Birmingham a 7-0 lead. Villanueva (1-1) threw Valido an off-speed pitch while striking him out in the first, but that had the Baron looking for it two innings later. "I was just looking off-speed there, and he threw it and I hit it," Valido said of his triple. In the fourth, he got two changeups in a row and drove the second one over the left-field fence. Christopher Amador, the Barons' No. 8 batter, hit a solo homer to start the scoring in the third and singled and scored on Valido's blast in the fourth. Money said Villanueva didn't rely on his fastball enough, throwing four consecutive changeups to one hitter. "He went to his off-speed pitches probably a little too early and often," Money said. The announced attendance was 1,829, and Stars general manager Tom Van Schaack said his reaction to the crowd size was "not satisfied." The Stars drew 5,350 for the opener a year ago, but it was on a Friday night. "We obviously didn't prepare for a huge crowd because it's a Tuesday night; it's a school night for kids," Van Schaack said. "But I thought we'd have a little bit more." Center fielder Steve Moss got the Stars' first hit of the game in the fourth inning, beating a throw from Valido at shortstop. The Stars didn't get two hits in the same inning until the seventh, but maybe the long bus trip back from Pearl, Miss., was partly to blame for the lethargic offense. After beating the Mississippi Braves 12-5 in a 3 hour, 20-minute game on Monday, the Stars left Pearl around midnight. Shortly after going through Birmingham, the team bus hit a log that apparently fell off a logging truck onto I-65. After a delay of about 30 minutes, the bus continued toward Huntsville, getting the players to Joe Davis Stadium about 5:30 Tuesday morning. "We had to be back at 3:30 (p.m.) to stretch," Money said. Several players asked if they could come in a little bit later. Money declined and explained, "It's only six games into the season." Which means there's plenty of time for things to get better.

Huntsville Site Game Summary: Link, then text -- www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=780 Liotta Leads Barons Over Stars Ray Liotta spun six shutout innings and combined with three other relievers to blank the Stars 8-0, as Birmingham spoiled Opening Night at Joe Davis Stadium. The Barons improved to 2-4 with both of their wins coming by shutout, while the Stars dipped to 3-3 in front of 1,829 fans. Birmingham has taken 10 of the last 12 games played between the two teams since the start of last season. Carlos Villanueva, who tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings of relief following Ben Sheets on Opening Day in Mississippi on Thursday, blanked the Barons for two innings before the visitors erupted in the third. Chris Amador led off the frame with a home run, his first of the season and his first run batted in. Robert Valido delivered a two-run triple and scored on a ground ball out by Mark Quinn to complete the rally. Birmingham had been held to seven runs in the first five games of the year and had not tallied more than three runs in any contest before the four-run uprising in the third. Chris Getz bounced into a bases loaded double play to push across a run in the fourth and Valido followed with a two-run home run to left field, his first of the year and first long ball for the Barons that was not a solo shot. Birmingham tallied 11 hits after collecting only 26 in their first five games and compiling a .167 team batting average. Liotta retired the first 11 hitters he faced before Steve Moss singled with two outs in the fourth. The southpaw allowed two singles, walked two and struck out two in his six innings of work to pick up the win. He retired the side in order in four of his six frames. B.J. LaMura, Dwayne Pollok and Ehren Wasserman blanked the Stars on four singles over the next three innings to complete the shutout. The Stars will send right-hander Tim Dillard to the mound in the second game of the series on Wednesday night and he will opposed Birmingham right-hander Lance Broadway. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard on ESPN Radio 1450 AM locally and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds and/or Huntsville Stars are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated an hour or two prior to gametime: Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format): www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf Following Nashville's lead, Huntsville now makes its media notes available as well, nice: www.huntsvillestars.com/i...eNotes.pdf

Follow Wednesday's action as it happens: Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Activate the Nashville Gameday. For the other links, 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. It's sweet! Nashville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1 Huntsville: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1 Brevard County Game One: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1 Brevard County Game Two: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1 West Virginia: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1

Wednesday Daily Menu: All times Central; pitchers subject to change -- Nashville: RHP Ben Hendrickson at Iowa (Cubs), 7:45 PM pre-game, 8:05 gametime Audio link: www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/ Nashville Game Day Feature from MILB.com: Please note that GameDay links will not become active until approximately 1-2 hours before game time www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1 Huntsville: RHP Tim Dillard at home vs. Birmingham (White Sox), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime; Stars' home opener... You know, with every Southern League series being a five-game affair this year, Carlos Villanueva may never get the benefit that Tim Dillard does of seeing the batters for each team at least once prior to facing them... Audio link: www.espn1450.com/ Brevard County: TBD and RHP Mark Rogers at home vs. Palm Beach (Cardinals), 5:00 PM; doublehader includes completion of Tuesday's suspended game It will be interesting to see how Ramon Aviles handles the staff here; Rogers is more likely to start Game Two than take over in Game One (2nd inning), but nothing's etched in stone. Audio link (opponent's): www.palmbeachcardinals.com/ West Virginia: LHP Derek Miller at Greensboro (Marlins), 6:00 PM Audio link: www.sportsjuice.com/provi...e=wvpower.

Final: Birmingham (White Sox) 8, Huntsville 0 Zero runs in one of the relatively few games the Stars get to use a DH, with so few American League teams in the Southern League... Huntsville Box Score: Not the actor from Field of Dreams, this Ray Liotta could have been a Brewer (12th round, 2001). White Sox grabbed him in the 2nd round out of Tulane in '04. Think the left-handed equivalent of Matt Morris (Brewers 26th round in '92, Cardinals 1st round in '95)... www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1 Huntsville Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1 Michael Myers grounds out, pitcher Mike Meyers to first baseman Jeffrey Eure. Priceless. And yes, they played the theme from the Halloween movies as the pinch-hitter Myers came to the plate.

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Just released catcher Clay Blevins has signed with the Traverse City (Michigan) Beach Bums of the independent Frontier League. Also, middle infielder Todd West (last with Joliet, independent Northern League) has announced his retirement.

In progress: Birmingham (White Sox) 7, Huntsville 0, after five innings The Barons had only scored seven runs total in their opening series, yet rocked Carlos Villanueva for seven tonight (four in the 3rd, three in the 4th). Carlos was pulled after four, although the current box score doesn't reflect that Mike Meyers entered the game in the 5th.

Palm Beach (Cardinals) at Brevard County, suspended Tuesday's Florida State League game between the Cardinals and Manatees was suspended due to rain at Space Coast Stadium. It will be resumed at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, followed by the regularly scheduled game. Looks like the first two Cardinals reached in the top of the 2nd when the rain halted things. Manatees stranded runners at 2nd and 3rd in the first, if you peek at the box score thus far. www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_breafa_1 It's unlikley that Steve Hammond would come back to pitch Wednesday, so there could be some scrambling to fill the innings. It's likely that the suspended game remains nine innings, with a seven-inning nightcap.

Final: Greensboro (Marlins) 4, West Virginia 2 West Virginia Site Game Summary: POWER RALLY FALLS SHORTThe Greensboro Grasshoppers hit three home runs in Tuesday afternoon?s game at First Horizon Park in Greensboro, and held off a late Power rally to beat the West Virginia Power 4-2. Greensboro?s first home run came from Jeff Van Houten in the bottom of the first inning to make it a 1-0 contest. Jonathan Fulton hit a solo shot to begin the bottom of the second, and former West Virginia Power member Agustin Septimo smacked a two-run homer later in the inning to give the Grasshoppers a 4-0 lead. Darren Ford kicked off the top of the ninth inning with a single, and he scored later in the inning on Lorenzo Cain?s RBI double. After Cain?s double, Angel Salome grounded out to second base, scoring Kenny Holmberg in the process to cut the lead to 4-2. The next two batters, Mat Gamel and Ryan Crew, struck out to end the game. Despite the strikeout, Crew went 3 for 4 with two doubles. Chris Volstad (1-0) earned the victory, Blake Jones (2) earned the save and Kevin Roberts (1-1) obtained the loss. The Power are 2-4 after the loss and the Grasshoppers improved to 5-1 with the win. The Power will continue the series against the Grasshoppers on Wednesday night. Left hander Derek Miller (0-0, 1.80) will start for the Power and Greensboro will counter with left hander Aaron Thompson (0-0, 13.50). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM (6:00 Central). West Virginia Box Score: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1 West Virginia Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_gboafx_1

Final: Nashville 4, Iowa (Cubs) 1 Nashville Site Game Summary: Link, then text -- www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1897 Sheets Dominates I-Cubs, Sounds Win 4-1 DES MOINES - Rehabbing right-hander Ben Sheets turned in a dominant performance, striking out nine batters while allowing only three singles over 5 2/3 scoreless innings, to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 4-1 victory over the Iowa Cubs on Tuesday afternoon at Principal Park. The Brewers hurler made his second rehabilitation start, the first with Nashville, while recovering from a right posterior shoulder strain and threw 75 pitches, 52 for strikes, in likely his final tuneup before being activated by Milwaukee. Outfielder Nelson Cruz was the offensive star, breaking out of an 0-for-12 slump with a 3-for-4 afternoon that included his first home run of the season. The Sounds spotted Sheets a 3-0 lead before he even took the hill, scoring three first-inning runs off Cubs starter Jae-Kuk Ryu. Tony Gwynn opened the contest by drawing a walk, was sacrificed to second, and later scored on Cruz's two-out longball to center. Brad Nelson followed that shot with a double and scored on a passed ball/throwing error combo by Iowa catcher Geovany Soto to increase the Sounds' lead to 3-0. AUDIO: Nelson Cruz's First HR Of 2006 -- www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-11.wma Cruz doubled with one out in the third off Ryu and scored later in the frame on a two-out two-bagger by Jermaine Clark to finish off the Nashville scoring. The Cubs broke up the shutout bid in the seventh with a two-out run against Sounds reliever Chris Demaria. With two down in the frame, Casey McGehee singled then scored on Augie Ojeda's double to right. Sheets (1-0) earned the victory, his first at the Triple-A level since 2001, while Ryu (0-1) took a loss after surrendering four runs (three earned) on six hits in five innings of work. Mike Adams worked a scoreless ninth, allowing a pair of Iowa hits before escaping a jam, to earn his first save of the season. The Sounds and I-Cubs continue their series with a 7:05 p.m. meeting on Wednesday evening at Principal Park. Right-hander Ben Hendrickson (0-0, 0.00), who tossed five hitless innings in his 2006 debut last week at Omaha, will make the start for Nashville. Iowa counters with veteran southpaw Les Walrond (1-0, 1.50). Nashville Box Score: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1 Nashville Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_iowaaa_1

Thanks...

In progress: Greensboro (Marlins) 4, West Virginia 0, bottom of the 4th in Greensboro Of the 12 Power outs, ten have been groundouts; RHP Kevin Roberts has surrendered three home runs thus far, including one to former Power member Agustin Septimo, his 2nd of the season -- Septimo may become one that the Brewers "let slip away". You protect 21-year-old tools guys from the Minor League phase of Rule 5...

The Sheets game is available live online for free -- video: www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../video.jsp

Link while active, text follows: www.news-record.com/apps/...EWSREC0205 Power hands Hoppers first loss of season By Jeff Carlton Greensboro News & Record Staff Writer GREENSBORO -- Agustin Septimo probably knew the visiting team better than his own Monday night. The Grasshoppers' 21-year-old shortstop certainly had a good feel for how West Virginia Power reliever Wilfrido Laureano would pitch him in a pivotal eighth-inning at-bat. "I focus for him. I know how he pitches," Septimo said. "I said, 'Hey, he's throwing me fastballs,' because I've known him for three years." That's how long the two Dominicans were together in the Milwaukee Brewers' farm system before the Florida Marlins selected Septimo in the Rule 5 minor-league draft last winter. Laureano got the better of Septimo this time, enticing a pop-up to shortstop with a high, 3-1 fastball for the final out. The tying runs were stranded in scoring position, and the Grasshoppers fell 2-0 to the Power. It was their first loss after a 4-0 start to the season. Greensboro's four-game sweep of Hagerstown featured outstanding hitting throughout the lineup. The Hoppers posted a collective .345 batting average, and Septimo was a major part of the offensive fun, going 7-for-17 with a triple and a home run. Septimo didn't have the eye-popping series that Gabriel Sanchez (three homers, 10 RBIs) or Andy Jenkins (two homers, 8 RBIs) had, but Greensboro manager Brandon Hyde was happy to have him coming to the plate with Jared Gaston at third base, Matt Kutler at second and two outs. "He's got gap power right now, which shows you that he can leave (the ballpark)," Hyde said of a player who totaled seven home runs in his four years in the Brewers organization. "He comes up aggressively, swings aggressively, gives himself a chance." This time, Hyde said, "he just got underneath one." Earlier, the energetic Septimo showed why the Marlins coveted his glovework at shortstop. He ranged nicely to his right to stab Darren Ford's line drive in the second inning. An inning later, he dove to stop Angel Salome's smash up the middle, quickly picking himself up to get a force at second base. His throw to first skidded by Sanchez, erasing the double-play opportunity. Septimo rushed the throw knowing from their time together that Salome ran very well for a catcher. He now knows how volatile Sanchez's bat can be after seeing his Greensboro teammate smash three game-winning home runs in the past week. When Sanchez came to the plate in the ninth with Jeff Van Houten at first, Septimo was upbeat. "I said, 'One more time, one more time,' " Septimo said. "Everybody was saying, 'Oh, one more.' " Not this time, though. Sanchez struck out, and the Hoppers were shut out on five hits.

Braun, Jones, Fermaint, Escobar and Sollman featured in this nice photo gallery from Opening Day: www.floridatoday.com/apps...s=Itemnr=1

Link while active, text follows: www.floridatoday.com/apps...002/sports Unbeaten Manatees ring up another win Cowbells just part of home opener BY SCOTT BROWN FLORIDA TODAY The sights of minor league baseball -- kids wearing baseball gloves in hopes of catching a foul ball and grown-ups acting like kids during various promotions -- returned to the area Monday night. A decidedly unfamiliar sound accompanied the start of another Brevard County Manatees season. Fans waved clanging cowbells as fervently as they cheered the home team, and they had plenty of reason to do both on a wind-blown evening at Space Coast Stadium. The Manatees scored five times in the first inning and cruised to their fifth win in as many games in front of new owner Dr. Tom Winters and an announced crowd of 1,205. Right fielder Freddy Parejo homered, doubled and singled as the Manatees pounded out 14 hits in pounding visiting Palm Beach, 10-3. Brevard County will try to improve to 6-0 today when it again plays host to Palm Beach at 7:00 PM (6:00 Central). "We're just all having fun," said Manatees infielder Steve Sollmann, who had three hits Monday. "Guys are coming up with clutch hits and the pitching staff is doing great." The Manatees sure made a favorable first impression on Winters, who heads the Orlando-based group that bought the Manatees from John Henry during the offseason. Winters, who lives in Winter Park, had to call the group's president, Charlie Baumann, to get directions to Viera. Once he got to the stadium, he didn't have any trouble finding his way. The orthopedic surgeon met the players for the first time and enjoyed watching them from Baumann's office on the fourth floor of Space Coast Stadium. Winters also made his way through the stands, introducing himself to fans and also chatting with them. "This," Winters said. "is going to be fun." The first 500 fans received complimentary cowbells and those (probably to the consternation of the cows that graze not too far away from the stadium) were gone well before Winters tossed out the first ceremonial pitch. Brevard County's bats were the only thing that made more noise than the bells. The Manatees scored eight times before the fourth inning, chasing Palm Beach starting pitcher Mitchell Boggs. The offensive display couldn't have been called an outburst since the Manatees had scored 30 runs in their previous four games -- all wins -- at Daytona. Three of the nine hitters in Brevard's starting lineup entered Monday's game with batting averages of at least .444. "We're a young team and we're making things happen," said outfielder Travis Ezi, who spent most of 2005 with the Manatees. "I think the difference between this year and last year is we have a lot more speed." Brevard County doesn't appear to be lacking for anything right now. Its fast start, manager Ramon Aviles said, can be traced to how the team played and paid attention to detail during spring training. Aviles told his young players that how they performed during exhibition play would carry over to the season. Think they listened to him? Brevard County hasn't beaten teams as much as it has bludgeoned them. After Monday night's win, the Manatees had outscored their opponents 40-15 "I'm a strong believer that when you play good it's contagious and when you play bad it's contagious," Sollmann said. Enthusiasm seemed to be contagious as fans steadily streamed through the main gate at Space Coast Stadium. Some happily collected their cowbells and looked for a seat while others first stopped to write down the starting lineups on a scorecard and take part in a timeless baseball tradition. Andre Nunez recently relocated his family from New York City to Viera, and he had only seen Space Coast Stadium from afar. It had just what the former season-ticket holder for both the Yankees and Mets needed: baseball for him and enough diversions, including a play area with inflatable toys, for his 11-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son. "I'm surprised," Nunez said. "I didn't think it was this big. It's a beautiful stadium." One that has a pretty good looking team these days too.

Link while active, text follows: www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...amp;coll=1 Reply hazy - for now Answers worthy of a Magic 8 Ball reveal Huntsville's outlook Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times Well, wouldn't you know it? Stars manager Don Money was urged to shake up the Magic 8 Ball he's holding in and come up with an answer. Whatever invisible genies are in charge of the 8 Ball must have been out to lunch. The gizmo inside refused to cooperate. It simply bobbed to the surface with two edges showing. That demonstrates how confounding it is for any of us, using any manner possible, to get accurate predictions before a baseball season begins, or even if it's five games old, as it is for the Stars headed into tonight's home opener with Birmingham. At first, Money took the symbolism as "being behind the 8-ball'' instead of it being a mystic toy. Coming off a 60-79 record that was second-worst in franchise history, it's not an entirely inappropriate sentiment. That does, however, lead us to our first of eight questions for the 8 Ball. 1 Will the Stars be better than they were last year? "I sure hope so,'' Money said. The Stars have 40-watt power. Only one player has ever hit more than 17 homers in a season. They'll need speed and timely, contagious hitting. Half of the starting lineup is in its first full Double-A season, so there will be major adjustments ahead. There doesn't seem to be anyone who will pick up this team on his shoulders and carry it. The starting rotation looks solid, there are good candidates for closer and the middle relievers are experienced. But with modest run support, their margin for error is slight. 2 What's this team's personality? Loose, funny and happy, according to early returns. "The camaraderie between players is better,'' said Money. "For the most part, everybody is happy to be here. And if they don't think they belong here, show us.'' There are no highly publicized prospects around which the team must revolve, as in recent years. There are no obvious malcontents. They seem to get along and love a good laugh. To wit: On Sunday, there was some good-natured teasing of a bat boy in Mississippi, with a pronounced drawl and gritty attitude. "What's your nationality?'' one of the Stars asked him. "Baptist,'' the kid replied. 3 Is there some new philosophy? It's all about playing defense and being smarter. Last year, the Stars at times seemed to have the combined IQ of the cast of "Napoleon Dynamite." They ran bases poorly, threw to the wrong bases, had poor plans of attack at the plate and pretty much made twice as many mental errors as physical. In the post-steroid era, baseball is reverting back to pitching and defense. For all their athleticism, some of the Brewers' best prospects haven't been fundamentally sound or skilled defensively, and that's something the organization is out to change. 4 Who should we root for? Some of the players have had a taste of the big leagues, and it'd be nice to see them get a mulligan. Among them, you'll find yourself most intrigued by animated pitcher Corey Thurman. He spent two seasons with the Blue Jays, then had a shoulder go out on him and spent last year in independent ball, trying to keep his career alive. A 2002 story from The Toronto Sun reported how Thurman, upon walking in a winning run on a borderline pitch, "squatted on the ... mound for at least 20 seconds ... part anguish in letting his team down, part shock and part disbelief.'' "If only,'' the story concluded "every player in the uniform cared as much.'' He cares still. And we think you will, too. 5 What is it that looks so funny about Greg Sain? Oh, it's his barenaked hands. The first baseman doesn't wear batting gloves. "I may be the last one who doesn't,'' he said. Sain can even remember the last time he tried them, when he was a ninth-grader and wore "those white and neon-green Rickey Henderson batting gloves.'' They may have looked cool - for a brief time - but didn't feel right. He's gone without since - and averaged a homer every six games, with a career batting average of .260 and slugging average of .463. 6 Who are this year's famous family connections? Pitcher Tim Dillard's dad, Steve, played in the majors and is coaching in the Cardinals' system. Andy Pratt's dad, Tom, was drafted by the Royals and is the Cubs' Single-A pitching coach. Sain's dad, Tom, also played in the minors. Khalid Ballouli's grandfather, Dick Fowler, pitched 10 years in the majors. And, "My brother (Kenny) has bowled two 300 games. You need to put that in there,'' said reliever Joe Winkelsas. So obliged. 7 What about the rest of the Southern League? It's not loaded with the mega-prospects of last season like Delmon Young, Jeff Francoeur, Jeremy Hermida et al., but it's certainly not barren. Birmingham's pitching makes it a contender for a seventh consecutive playoff appearance, and Mobile has outstanding pitching as well. Tennessee, Jacksonville and Florida should benefit from affiliation with the top three (as ranked by Baseball America) farm systems in baseball. 8 What does the new five-year lease agreement mean for the future of the franchise? Compared to the other parks in the Southern League, Joe Davis Stadium is a john-boat docked at the yacht club. The city is spending $1 million for improvements, but that's just to spackle the place. Until an attendance spike merits it and the team draws more interest, why spend the $10 million it would take to make it comparable to the others? Stars owner Miles Prentice is expected for opening night, so perhaps he'll shed further light on this. For now, the lease question is truly is one the Magic 8 Ball can answer. "Reply Hazy. Try Again.'' Like in another four years, when this lease nears its end.

David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com/ MAKES FOR A HAPPY BUS RIDE!Rubber game of this series........ Khalid Ballouli is making his first appearance since a shoulder strain put him on the disabled list last July 17, and his first start since May 24. His season was marked by inconsistency, going from his debut on April 11 when he held Jacksonville scoreless on one hit to being rattled by Montgomery for 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings on May 13. Facing him is Dan Curtis, who is into his fifth season with the Greenville/Mississippi Braves. Despite that lengthy AA stay, he had faced the Stars only three times logging a 3.86 ERA in 14 innings, and winning all three times (twice in relief)........ But starting the game tonight and pitching the first inning was Macay McBride, on a rehab assignment by the Braves. McBrave had been idle for a month, recovering from a strained lower forearm. He's fared better in his past three appearances against the Stars (1.93 ERA, 15 Ks, 14 IP), but had never beaten them. Not such a great start for Ballouli. Seen this before......... The M'Braves managed to get their first five hitters on base. An 11-pitch battle with leadoff hitter Gregor Blanco was won by Blanco when the left-hander connected with a lead-off double to the opposite way........ Martin Prado then hit a slow grounder that kicked off the heel of Ozzie Chavez's glove as he came in on the grass for it. Blanco sped in safely to third......... Yunel Escobar then punched a Ballouli curve ball past Callix Crabbe into center field scoring Blanco........ Ballouli then hit Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the back with a pitch, loading the bases. That brought pitching coach Rich Sauveur out of the dugout....... Finally, after going ahead on Dax Norris 0-and-2, the fifth straight hitter to reach base lined a single to left driving in Prado and Escobar........ Ballouli then retired the next three batters.......... Michael Rosamond struck out swinging, Onil Joseph hit into a force, and Luis Hernandez tapped the ball back to Ballouli who tossed to Eure for the 3rd out. McBride gave up a leadoff single to Callix Crabbe, but retired the next three hitters and that was his night........ Lou Palmisano took the Stars out of a 1st-and-2nd, one out situation against Curtis by grounding into a 4-6-3 double play....... The Stars came into this game with a team batting average of .188. In the 3rd, the Stars battled back with the inning they had been waiting for, and it all happened with two out. Khalid got the inning going with a single to left followed by a walk to Crabbe. Curtis came back to strike out Drew Anderson and Steve Moss, both swinging........ But Adam Heether, 1-for-14 to this point, came through in the clutch with a single to right, scoring Ballouli, and moving the runners to 2nd and 3rd........ Following a walk to Ron Acuna, his 5th pass in three games to load the bases, Jeff Eure, who broke an 0-for-9 drought at the plate with a single in the 2nd, ripped a line drive double on a 2-0 pitch into the left field corner, clearing the bases, giving the Stars a 4-3 lead. This time, the Braves became the ones to leave the runners......... In the 4th, with runners on 2nd and 3rd, Prado hit a comebacker to Ballouli, who caught Dan Curtis leaning the wrong way at 3rd. He threw to Heether, who tagged him, and it killed the inning........ In the 5th, Michael Rosamond hit a two-out double and was stranded....... In the 6th, after the Stars found the clutch magic again in the top of the inning, the Braves got back-to-back singles with two out before Matt Yeatman struck out Escobar to end the inning. Before busting the game open, the Stars got another two-out rally in the top of the 6th off Bryan Digby....... After Chavez flied out and Yeatman struck out with Palmisano on 2nd via a single and wild pitch, Crabbe, ever the patient hitter, walked........ Drew Anderson, 3-for-17 (.176), then cleared the bases with a line drive double to left to make it 6-3......... From there, the Stars turned it into a laugher. Before the game, Anderson prophetically said, "All of a sudden, something will click and we'll start hitting... we're adjusting... once we get settled in, we'll be fine"......... Anderson left five runners in scoring position with two out........ In winning three of the five games of this series, the Stars collected 36 hits and drew 29 walks...... Greg Sain made his first appearance of the season in a pinch-hit role, sending a 1-2 pitch to right for the 2nd out in the Stars' 7th inning. The Braves' top prospect Jarrod Saltamacchia broke an 0-for-13 start to his season by crushing a home run off Joe Winkelsas in the 9th to make it 12-4....... Gerrit Simpson got the job done on one pitch in the 9th getting Carl Loadenthal for the final out, after manager Don Money yanked Winkelsas, who gave up an RBI double to Luis Hernandez. Tomorrow, everyone will get to see the guyzos at the Joe......... Carlos Villanueva will face probably Birmingham's Ray Liotta, who was a 12th round pick by the Brewers in 2001, but didn't sign. Now he's the White Sox' # 1 left-handed pitching prospect (# 8 overall by Baseball America)....... I'm looking forward to providing some better in depth reporting, for I have some vacation time coming tomorrow.

Link while active, text follows: desmoinesregister.com/app...10381/1053 Brewers' ace Sheets in town RANDY PETERSON DES MOINES REGISTER STAFF WRITER Memo to people planning to a attend today's Iowa Cubs Pacific Coast League baseball game at Principal Park: Don't be late. The bottom of the first inning could be interesting ? with Iowa leadoff batter Felix Pie, a triple-A rookie with a .458 batting average, facing major league veteran pitcher Ben Sheets. Pie hit a grand slam home run in the second inning, then drove in the winning run with a single in the 11th as Iowa's winning streak improved to four games with a 7-6 victory against Nashville before an announced crowd of 4,187 at Principal Park Monday. He had two triples on Sunday. He has 11 RBIs and eight hits in the past three games. At 12:05 today, Pie faces a former first-round draft choice who pitched the United States to a gold medal in the 2000 Olympics. "Nasty is the word I would use to describe (Sheets)," said Iowa Cubs outfielder Michael Restovich, a former Minnesota Twin, Colorado Rockie and Pittsburgh Pirate, "and that's just from watching guys come back to the dugout after facing him." Sheets is recovering from a torn muscle behind his pitching shoulder that sidelined him for the final month last season. He aggravated the injury during spring training. "He's got a good curveball, a good changeup and an overpowering fastball," said Iowa shortstop Augie Ojeda, who played for the Chicago Cubs between 2000 and "03. "He's definitely one of the top pitchers in the major leagues." Sheets is expected to throw between 75 and 80 pitches. "Everything indicates that after this start, he'll probably be ready to go back to the big leagues," said Nashville pitching coach Stan Kyles. Sheets struck out five in 2 2/3 innings while pitching for double-A Huntsville last Thursday against Mississippi. He has a 55-62 record in five major league seasons, all with the Brewers, and watching with interest from the press box today will be Nate Teut - this time as a member of the Iowa Cubs radio team. On May 4, 2002, they met competitively at Miller Park in Milwaukee - Sheets making his normal start for the Brewers, and Teut in his major-league debut. "I didn't find out I was pitching against Ben Sheets until I got to the park," said Teut, a former Florida Marlin, "and the first thing that came to mind was his Olympic gold medal." Sheets was the winning pitcher for the United States against Cuba in the gold medal game. "That's impressive," said Teut, who, by the way, lost against Sheets in his major league debut. "The guy averages 11 or 12 wins a season for the Brewers. Put him on a contending team, and he might be a consistent 20-game winner."

Nashville Pre-Game Audio with RHP Brett Evert: www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-10.wma Nashville Site Game Summary: Link, then text -- www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1895 Sounds Fall Io Iowa, 7-6 In 11 Innings DES MOINES ? Chicago Cubs top prospect Felix Pie, who had already belted a grand slam in the contest, produced a game-winning single in the bottom of the 11th inning to lead the Iowa Cubs to a 7-6 win over the Nashville Sounds on Monday evening at Principal Park in the opener of a four-game series. All four of the Sounds? losses this season have come when the opponent scores the winning run in its final at-bat. The contest was Nashville?s second extra-inning affair in the club?s first five games. Jamal Strong opened the Iowa eleventh by getting hit by an Allan Simpson pitch. Buck Coats followed with a sacrifice bunt that was mishandled by Sounds catcher Mike Rivera, allowing the second baseman to reach safely. Nashville skipper Frank Kremblas summoned shortstop Chris Barnwell ? who threw 4 2/3 scoreless relief innings for the Sounds in 2005 ? to the mound to face the next I-Cubs hitter, pinch-hitter Augie Ojeda. Ojeda laid down a bunt back to Barnwell but the throw to third was late, loading the bases for Pie. The 21-year-old hammered a ball off the wall in left-center, giving the Cubs their fourth straight victory. David Aardsma (1-0) picked up the victory after working two hitless innings with four strikeouts, while Simpson (0-2) took his second loss of the year after being charged with the game-winning run. The Sounds jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Vinny Rottino?s first home run of the season, a two-out solo shot off Iowa starter Rich Hill in the top of the first inning. AUDIO: Vinny Rottino's 1st-Inning HR: www.nashvillesounds.com/a...204-10.wma Nashville doubled the lead in the second when Rivera stole home as part of a double steal against Hill. Barnwell stole second on the play. Pie put the home team ahead in the bottom of the inning with a two-out grand slam off Sounds starter Justin Thompson. The blast, which spotted Iowa a 4-2 lead, was the outfielder?s first of the year and came after a costly walk to Hill, who rallied from a 1-2 count against Thompson to draw the free pass. Ryan Theriot followed Pie?s blast with a single to chase Thompson, who lasted only 1 2/3 innings and surrendered five runs on six hits in his Sounds debut. Cubs third baseman Casey McGehee greeted reliever Wilton Chavez with an RBI double to right to increase the Iowa advantage to 5-2. Following that hit, Chavez settles down and turned in a solid relief outing for the Sounds, working 4 1/3 scoreless frames while allowing only that one hit and striking out five. Iowa pinch-hitter Mike Fontenot greeted Nashville reliever Brett Evert with a solo homer to center in the bottom of the seventh to extend the lead to 6-2. The blast, which came on a 3-1 offering, was his first of the season. The Sounds rallied in the eighth, plating a pair of runs against the Iowa bullpen to make it a close game at 6-4. Dave Krynzel opened the frame with a pinch-hit single off Mark Watson and moved to third when Tony Gwynn doubled into the right field corner. Brent Abernathy followed with a routine grounder to third but McGehee?s throw was mishandled by Cubs first baseman Brandon Sing for a two-base error, allowing Krynzel to score. Rottino followed with his second RBI of the contest, plating Gwynn with a sacrifice fly to left-center for the first out of the inning. Cubs closer Roberto Novoa was summoned from the bullpen and struck out Nelson Cruz then popped up Rivera to escape the jam and protect the two-run lead. Nashville rallied again in the ninth, scoring two more runs to tie the contest at 6-6. With one out, Brad Nelson drew a walk and moved to second on a bloop single to right by Enrique Cruz, the infielder?s first hit of the season. Pinch-hitter Jermaine Clark drove home Nelson and moved Cruz to third with an RBI single off the top of the wall in right that was adeptly handled by Iowa rightfielder Michael Restovich. Gwynn ripped a grounder up the first-base line that was gloved by Sing, who stepped on the bag for the second out of the inning. Clark got hung up in a rundown between first and second on the play but avoided the tag long enough for Cruz to score the tying run before Iowa completed the double play. The teams continue their series with a 12:05 p.m. matinee on Tuesday afternoon. Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Ben Sheets will make a rehabilitation start for the Sounds. He is currently on the 15-day D.L. with a right posterior shoulder strain. Iowa will counter with right-hander Jae-Kuk Ryu (0-0, 1.80).

Huntsville Site Game Summary: Link, then text -- www.huntsvillestars.com/n...newsId=779 Stars Explode on Offense and Rough Up Braves Jeff Eure?s two-out, three-run double in the third inning put the Stars ahead to stay and sparked a 12-run outburst in Huntsville?s 12-5 win over Mississippi Monday night at Trustmark Park. The Stars took three of five in the season-opening series and have won three of the four series they have played on the road against the Braves. Huntsville starting pitcher Khalid Ballouli gave up three runs on four hits in the first inning in his first outing of the year and started what turned out to be the winning rally with a leadoff single in the third inning. Callix Crabbe drew the first of his three walks before Daniel Curtis struck out Drew Anderson and Steve Moss, who fanned eight times in the series. Adam Heether followed with a base hit to right field to drive in Ballouli and knock in his first run of the season. Ron Acuna walked to keep the inning going and Eure followed by ripping a double into left field to plate all three runners to put the visitors on top, 4-3. Anderson delivered a two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning to push the advantage to 6-3. The Stars had squandered nine hits and five walks in Sunday?s 3-1 loss and had left 12 runners on base. Huntsville tacked on two runs in the seventh, three in the eighth and another in the ninth in piling up a season-high in runs and hits, with 17. Every position player had at least one hit and the Stars collected at least one hit in every inning and stranded at least one runner in every frame. Crabbe finished with two hits, two runs scored and two knocked in, while Acuna collected three hits, scored twice and walked two times for a third straight game. The Stars had totaled 24 hits in the first four games and had compiled a .188 team average before Monday?s outburst. ?We swung the bats well tonight. We took advantage of all the walks and some mistakes and got the big hits that we needed. Ballouli settled down nicely after the first inning,? said manager Don Money. Ballouli blanked the Braves over his next three innings of work and finished with four strikeouts and a walk. Matt Yeatman tossed two scoreless frames to record the win in relief and Joe Winkelsas was one out away from recording a save before being lifted with two on and two out in the bottom of the ninth. Gerrit Simpson retired Carl Loadenthal on a come-backer with one pitch to end the game. The Stars return home to open up a five-game set Tuesday night with right-hander Carlos Villanueva taking the hill for the home opener against Birmingham left-hander (and former Brewer draft pick -- unsigned) Ray Liotta. Coverage of the game begins at 6:50 p.m. central time and can be heard on ESPN Radio 1450 AM locally and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.