Jim Goulart

GrimGrieper: Former K-State Starter Transitions Quickly into Closing Role By: Corbin McGuire, kstatesports.com

AUDIO via WTMJ's Matt Pauley's Brewers' Extra Innings Podcast Sun. 4/9: "One week into the Brewers season, Matt looks back at the way the team played during their first seven games and gets the thoughts of Brew Crew Ball Managing editor Kyle Lesniewski. Matt also chats with Carolina Mudcats broadcaster Greg Young as the new Brewers Carolina league affiliate begins their season." Specifically to this Minor League Forum, the Greg Young interview begins at the 22:35 minute mark.

Timber Rattler DVR Alert -- TONIGHT! MON. 4/10 vs. Burlington, 7:00 PM Spectrum Sports are available on channel 32 and in HD on channel 1332 in Eastern Wisconsin

Look for these just prior to the respective game times -- Biloxi Media Notes - Linked on the Shuck Dynasty blog Carolina Media Notes - Linked on the Mudcats official blog Wisconsin Media Notes - Linked on the Rattler Radio blog *** STANDINGS: AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division AA - Southern League South Division High-A - Carolina League Southern Division A - Midwest League Western Division *** Sortable individual stat pages: Colorado Springs Biloxi Carolina Wisconsin *** Weather.com: Montgomery, AL Wilmington, DE Grand Chute, WI

Follow Monday's action as it happens with box score / game log links: Biloxi Carolina Wisconsin MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, Brewers

Monday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Colorado Springs: Idle ********** Biloxi: RHP Angel Ventura at Montgomery (Rays), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link Chris Harris is the play-by-play voice of the Shuckers. Follow Chris on Twitter @CHarris731. We'll be linking to his fantastic "Shuck Dynasty" blog. Erik Bremer (@Erik_Bremer) joins Chris often. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be radio broadcast. MiLB.TV - Eight of the ten Southern League teams telecast their home games, and Biloxi is among them. Only games in Chattanooga and Mobile won't be available. ********** Carolina: RHP Marcos Diplan at Wilmington (Royals), 5:20 PM pre-game, 5:35 gametime Free Live Audio Link We look forward to Mudcats audio with Greg Young (@gregyoungjr), especially after going without gameday audio for much of the Brewers' stay in Brevard County. MiLB.TV - Yes, Carolina home games will be on MiLB.TV, sweet. It appears three other Carolina League teams (Salem, Myrtle Beach, and Winston-Salem) broadcast as well. No TV for this series in Wilmington . ********** Wisconsin: RHP Victor Diaz at home vs. Burlington (Angels), 6:15 PM pre-game, 6:35 gametime Free Live Audio Link Chris Mehring is back to do his customary fantastic work as the Voice of the Rattlers. Follow him on Twitter @CMehring; we'll link to Chris' infamous blog often -- Rattler Radio. MiLB.TV - Eight of the 16 Midwest League teams telecast their home games, and Wisconsin, once again, is among them. We'll let you know when a road TV feed is available. In 2017, fifteen games will be broadcast on Spectrum Sports in Wisconsin, available on channel 32 and in HD on channel 1332. We'll keep you posted with our "DVR Alerts" days in advance.

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AUDIO via WTMJ's Matt Pauley's Brewers' Extra Innings Podcast Sun. 4/9: "One week into the Brewers season, Matt looks back at the way the team played during their first seven games and gets the thoughts of Brew Crew Ball Managing editor Kyle Lesniewski. Matt also chats with Carolina Mudcats broadcaster Greg Young as the new Brewers Carolina league affiliate begins their season." *** AUDIO via Brewers.com Sun. 4/9: Highlights/lowlights from the Cubs 7-4 win over the Brewers, via the Milwaukee radio broadcast; Craig Counsell postgame comments as well

AUDIO via WSSP 105.7 FM's Pre-Game Show Sun. 4/9: Includes Craig Counsell's pre-game comments starting at the 08:00 minute mark, Adam Rygg (@BrewerNation) participating in the roundtable shortly after, with Travis Shaw at 31:50 and WSSP's Tim Allen at 38:00 *** AUDIO via WSSP 105.7 FM's Morning Show Mon. 4/10: Third base coach Ed Sedar *** AUDIO via WSSP 105.7 FM's Morning Show Mon. 4/10: Adam McCalvy

AUDIO via the Rattler Radio Blog Sun. 4/9: "Kyle Lobner has interviews with Matt Erickson, Tucker Neuhaus, Nathan Rodriguez, and Demi Orimoloye. *** Latest posted AUDIO via the Sky Sox pre-game show: Brett Phillips

AUDIO via WSSP 105.7 FM's Pre-Game Show Sat. 4/8: Includes Craig Counsell's pre-game comments at the 08:05 minute mark, BrewCrewBall's Kyle Lesniewski participating in the roundtable at 11:45, and Eric Thames at 21:40 *** AUDIO via Brewers.com: Highlights from the Cubs 11-6 win over the Brewers, via both teams' broadcast; Craig Counsell discussed the variety of ways the Chicago bats found holes *** VIDEO: Craig Counsell's postgame comments, as also linked in the audio above

Timber Rattler DVR Alert -- MON. 4/10 vs. Burlington, 7:00 PM Spectrum Sports are available on channel 32 and in HD on channel 1332 in Eastern Wisconsin

Look for these just prior to the respective game times -- Colorado Springs Media Notes - Linked on the Sky Sox official blog Biloxi Media Notes - Linked on the Shuck Dynasty blog Carolina Media Notes - Linked on the Mudcats official blog Wisconsin Media Notes - Linked on the Rattler Radio blog *** STANDINGS: AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division AA - Southern League South Division High-A - Carolina League Southern Division A - Midwest League Western Division *** Sortable individual stat pages: Colorado Springs Biloxi Carolina Wisconsin *** Weather.com: Colorado Springs, CO Montgomery, AL Frederick, MD Grand Chute, WI

Follow Sunday's action as it happens with box score / game log links: Colorado Springs Biloxi Carolina Wisconsin MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, Brewers

Sunday's Daily Menu: All times are Central Colorado Springs: RHP Hiram Burgos at home vs. Omaha (Royals), 2:00 PM pre-game, 2:30 gametime Free Live Audio Link Dan Karcher, the longtime play-by-play voice of the Sky Sox is on Twitter @SkySoxKarch; joining him again this season is Dan Acheson (@Dan_Acheson) MiLB.TV -- for subscribers; all Colorado Springs games, home and away, will be available to watch via MiLB.TV's $49.99 season-long package ($12.99 to pay for a single month). The audio feed is from the home team. The video of each game is archived online, which is a nice feature. All MiLB.TV details available at the link. NOTE: Notice that on MiLB.TV's page, you can click on "Filter", then "Milwaukee Brewers", and you'll see just the Crew's organizational TV lineup. ********** Biloxi: RHP Luis Ortiz at Montgomery (Rays), 1:45 PM pre-game, 2:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link Chris Harris is the play-by-play voice of the Shuckers. Follow Chris on Twitter @CHarris731. We'll be linking to his fantastic "Shuck Dynasty" blog. Erik Bremer (@Erik_Bremer) joins Chris often. All games, home and away, are scheduled to be radio broadcast. MiLB.TV - Eight of the ten Southern League teams telecast their home games, and Biloxi is among them. Only games in Chattanooga and Mobile won't be available. ********** Carolina: RHP Cody Ponce at Frederick (Orioles), 12:45 PM pre-game, 1:00 gametime Free Live Audio Link We look forward to Mudcats audio with Greg Young (@gregyoungjr), especially after going without gameday audio for much of the Brewers' stay in Brevard County. MiLB.TV - Yes, Carolina home games will be on MiLB.TV, sweet. It appears three other Carolina League teams (Salem, Myrtle Beach, and Winston-Salem) broadcast as well. No TV for this opening series in Frederick . ********** Wisconsin: LHP Cam Roegner at home vs. Quad Cities (Astros), 12:45 PM pre-game, 1:05 gametime Free Live Audio Link Chris Mehring is back to do his customary fantastic work as the Voice of the Rattlers. Follow him on Twitter @CMehring; we'll link to Chris' infamous blog often -- Rattler Radio. MiLB.TV - Eight of the 16 Midwest League teams telecast their home games, and Wisconsin, once again, is among them. We'll let you know when a road TV feed is available. In 2017, fifteen games will be broadcast on Spectrum Sports in Wisconsin, available on channel 32 and in HD on channel 1332. We'll keep you posted with our "DVR Alerts" days in advance.

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VIDEO: Another look at Mario Feliciano's first professional home run from the Wisconsin game, this one with Chris' call

This is from Friday's game --

AUDIO via Saturday's Biloxi pre-game: Jorge Lopez interview *** AUDIO via Chris Harris' Biloxi broadcast: Shuckers game highlights

Once again check out @BrewerProspect's Twitter timeline for several videos from Saturday, across the chain

World Baseball Classic gives Shuckers’ Jorge Lopez a lift for ‘17 Patrick Magee, Biloxi Sun-Herald Biloxi Shuckers right-hander Jorge Lopez has pitched in the majors and was the Milwaukee Brewers’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2015, but his experience in the World Baseball Classic this spring may rank above all other accolades up to this point. Lopez was twice the starting pitcher for his native Puerto Rico during the team’s 7-0 run through the WBC to reach the title game against the U.S. He finished 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in two appearances. He picked up the win in a 9-4 victory over Mexico in the first round in Mexico and did not figure into the decision in a 4-3 win over the Netherlands in the semifinals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. “It was something I’m never going to forget,” Lopez said. “Not only what happened on the field, but how great of a union we had. My family, everybody was watching that. Having that happiness on the field, every time out on the field. It was something I’m never going to forget.” Everything stopped on the Caribbean island when the team took the field during the WBC. For a U.S. territory mired in debt, the World Baseball Classic provided the distraction it so badly needed. Lopez and his teammates dyed their hair blonde as a sign of unity and rallied around the idea of representing their fellow Puerto Ricans. The 8-0 loss to the U.S. in the title game was a disappointing outcome, but the team’s star catcher, Yadier Molina, put it all perspective for Lopez and his teammates. “He told us that we spent two weeks together and had so much fun,” Lopez said. “We failed, but we’ve got to think positive. We’re still winning with the people in Puerto Rico, for the sport.” Turnaround If his first start of 2017 at Double-A is any indication, Lopez’s experience in the WBC may have been just what he needed coming off a disappointing 2016 campaign split between Biloxi and Triple-A Colorado Springs. Lopez lasted six innings in a 5-3 win at Montgomery Friday night, striking out seven and walking none while allowing six hits. Those stats are a great sign after he went 3-11 with a 5.78 ERA in 25 games last year. He was 1-7 with a 6.87 ERA in 17 starts at the hitter-friendly ballpark in Colorado Springs. Lopez was outstanding at Biloxi in 2015, going 12-5 with a 2.26 ERA in 24 starts. The 6-foot-3 Lopez showed big league stuff that season at MGM Park and he got the late call up to Milwaukee. He was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in two starts for the Brewers. Offseason work The signs of a turnaround for Lopez began to emerge in winter ball in Puerto Rico following the 2016 season. It was his performance there that helped convince PR manager Edwin Rodriguez that he could factor into the starting rotation for the WBC. “I threw in winter ball, fixing my delivery,” Lopez said. “It was just trusting myself and I came to spring training trying to do the same thing. I had a couple of games where I lost my fastball command and secondary pitch. The thing now is I’m trying to get my confidence, be positive all the time.” Lopez was helped by getting the chance to work with the game’s best defensive catcher, Molina, during the WBC. He was also surrounded by some of the game’s bright young stars like Carlos Correa, Javier Baez and Francisco Lindor. “I spent a lot of time with those guys,” Lopez said. “You feel like those guys will spend 15-20 years in the big leagues. They’ll probably be hall of famers.” If Lopez takes advantage of his third stint in Biloxi, he’ll likely find himself back in the big leagues with many of his Puerto Rico teammates.

Note: We didn't know the status of 25-year-old Fidel Pena, who played with Brevard County last season, and was not listed as active on a full-season roster. So for now, we know he's in Appleton, but not active. He was listed as assisting as a translator in the story above.

AUDIO via Chris Mehring's Timber Rattlers Pregame Show Sat. 4/8: "The first Timber Rattlers Postgame Podcast brought to you by Papa John's Pizza. Chris & Kyle talk about the Timber Rattlers 3-2 victory over Quad Cities in the Rattlers Home Opener of 2017. Kyle also has interviews with Ryan Aguilar, Matt Erickson, Tom Jankins, & Aaron Myers." *** VIDEO via NBC26: Timber Rattlers highlights *** Article includes a video interview with RHP Thomas Jankins - Rattlers win home opener on late home run Tim Froberg, Appleton Post-Crescent GRAND CHUTE - He had been slumping, but Mario Feliciano did some slugging to provide an ideal finish to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers’ home opener. The 18-year-old catcher picked the perfect time to deliver his first hit of the season, launching a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a tie game and lift the Rattlers to a dramatic 3-2 win over Quad Cities. The blast was Feliciano’s first professional home run and it was a no-doubter, easily clearing the wall in left-center and traveling an estimated 415 feet. “It felt great,” said Feliciano through translator Fidel Pena. “With it being my first home run in pro ball, I was so excited.” Feliciano’s homer came on a 3-1 pitch and capped an unusual at-bat for the youngest player on the Rattlers’ roster. He had taken three straight balls from losing pitcher Carlos Sierra and thought he had drawn a walk on the fourth pitch, and dropped the bat and started walking toward first. But home plate umpire Andrew Barrett ruled it a strike and Feliciano had to step back into the box. If Feliciano was frustrated, he didn’t show it. He took Sierra deep on the next pitch to give a Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium crowd of 4,712 a proper opening-day memory. “I stayed positive,” said Feliciano, who had been 0-for-3 in the game and 0-for-7 on the season. “I wasn’t having a good game, but I stayed positive.” Feliciano, a native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, will be a closely watched player by the Milwaukee Brewers this summer. He was a competitive-balance round pick by the Brewers in the 2016 draft and the 75th overall selection. He is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the 23rd best prospect in the Brewers organization and is rated 28th by Baseball America. The Brewers are intrigued with Feliciano’s defensive skills and he showed promise at the plate in rookie league at Helena, hitting .265 with 16 RBI in 29 games last season. “He’s a young kid, but he has a pretty decent approach at the plate,” said Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson. “He has a short stroke and stays inside the ball. He swung the bat pretty good in spring training. But his No. 1 priority right now is taking care of our pitching staff and getting better daily at receiving the baseball. “The one thing that stood out in spring training is that he really blocks. He’s really good at blocking and today he had some key blocks with runners in scoring position that kind of gets lost in the shuffle. Those are big plays and he’s made them look fairly routine thus far.” Reliever Aaron Myers worked out of a two-on jam in the ninth to pick up the save. The Rattlers got a strong start from Thomas Jankins, who allowed one run on three hits in five innings before departing after being drilled on the left ankle by a ground ball hit by Rodrigo Ayarza in the top of the fifth. The ball ricocheted off Jankins’ ankle directly to first baseman Ronnie Gideon for the third out of the inning. “It was an unfortunate way to end, but I thought I did a good job for the most part,” said Jankins. “I’ve never taken one off the ankle like that. It will probably be sore for a couple days, but I don’t think I’ll miss any time. I offered to stay in the game, but they were kind of being cautious and trying to take care of me and I am thankful for that.” Dan Brown, a lefty reliever, was also sharp, throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up the win. “It’s always good when you get to shake hands after the game, no matter where you are,” said Erickson. “But today was exciting. We got a little dramatic win in a home opener before a really nice crowd. That’s the best crowd I’ve seen on opening day since I’ve been here, and it was definitely the best weather.” It was the third straight game the Rattlers, who played error-free ball, have received exceptional pitching. Wisconsin pitchers have allowed just three runs in the season’s first 26 innings. However, the Rattlers have also struggled at the plate, producing just four runs on the season. “Our pitching has been phenomenal,” Erickson said. “If you can pitch and take care of the baseball, it’s going to give you a chance in every game. Historically in this league, offenses run a little behind in the early going. It’s not uncommon with young hitters facing better pitchers than they have before and obviously pretty anxious at the plate. “If we can settle in and start doing a better job of controlling the zone and having better head discipline and using the big part of the field, the teams that make those adjustments have a better chance of waking up the bats and having better offensive days.”