Jim Goulart

We posted this on June 16th -- Despite posting really strong numbers in the tiny sample of five 2016 relief appearances, the Brewers released Pena on Tuesday. There's more to that story we'll never know...

Wednesday's farmhand birthdays -- Sky Sox RHP Tyler Cravy is 27 Rehabbing catcher Carlos Leal (out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery) turns 25

Look for 21-year-old RHP Junior Flores to finally make his stateside debut in Maryvale soon. Flores has played four seasons in the Dominican. He'll actually be in Maryvale on a "rehab assignment" from Wisconsin, as he was placed on the Timber Rattlers roster and DL in June, but that was seemingly just to make paper roster space for the massive number of newcomers at the rookie level this summer.

Just google Maryvale serial killer and you'll find stories like this one via CNN.

For now, the Timber Rattlers lineup is 14 pitchers / 11 position players, as just-turned 21-year-old Helena RHP Thomas Jankins, 13th round, Quinnipiac (CT) joins the club. That's five RHP's joining the team from rookie ball in less than a week -- Chase Williams, Zack Brown, Corbin Burnes, and Trey Supak the others.

MLB Network has the AAA All-Star Game, Manny Pina starting at catcher, look for Orlando Arcia and Damien Magnifico later Box Score

MiLB.com feature -- organizational scoreboard, Brewers Streamlined start tonight, thanks.

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

AUDIO via the Bill Michaels Show -- TUESDAY - Adam McCalvy TUESDAY - Ed Sedar

AUDIO via WSSP 105.7 FM's Morning Show -- MONDAY - Adam McCalvy MONDAY - Ed Sedar

AUDIO via WTMJ -- WEDNESDAY - Jeff Levering

AUDIO via ESPN 540 Milwaukee -- FRIDAY - Tim Van Vooren, FOX6 Sports Reporter talks about how much he dislikes the Brewers sending Zach Davies down to AAA for 10 days MONDAY - Tom Haudricourt TUESDAY - Bill Schroeder

AUDIO via WTMJ -- MONDAY - Tom Haudricourt TUESDAY - Craig Counsell TUESDAY - CBSSports.com MLB writer R.J. Anderson talks trades

Brewers seem intent on developing a submariner, now three on the Biloxi staff, including LHP Brett Lee, brand new to this pitching motion, featured here (link to our Shuckers' season-long feature archive thread). http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/14a9b7a37a13142b545f0c8ced2578e1510eef67/c=252-0-2448-1651&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/2016/07/12/Pensacola/Pensacola/636039482248103950-Brett-Lee-005.jpg

The Blue Wahoos added on four more runs against Brett Lee in the seventh to break the game open to a nine-run advantage. Tough for the southpaw to have a miserable outing in front of the home crowd, and he had this feature written about him -- Several PHOTOS at this gallery link *** Submarine style pitching coming around for WF grad Brian Achatz, Pensacola News Journal Much has changed for Brett Lee - West Florida High grad (2009) and current relief pitcher for the Biloxi Shuckers - since his high school days. Aside from physical development and baseball IQ growth, the pitcher's most notable change came recently when he began throwing submarine style less than one month ago. Lee and the Shuckers (Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers in the Southern League) are amidst a five-game series (July 9-13) vs. Pensacola, hosted at Blue Wahoos Stadium. "It (submarine-style pitching) has taken a bit to get used to, but it is progressively getting better," said Lee, who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 10th round of the 2011 MLB draft. "It's tough throwing one way your whole life and then having that change ... you almost have no idea where the pitch is going at first. "But once you can figure out submarine style, the ball moves an incredible amount. Velocity is a little less, but my fastball moves so much more. It gets batters to hit into ground balls." To aid Lee in the transition and bolster team chemistry, fellow Biloxi pitchers have helped Lee along the way with learning the unorthodox throwing style. "We have two other submarine pitchers on this team and my coaches have just wanted me to watch them," said Lee, who was born and raised in Perdido Key. "Gage Smith and Tyler Spurlin ... I try to mirror them. Tyler Spurlin has been named my permanent catch coach." Lee said that mastering the new style is his next short-term goal, while his major goal is reaching the MLB. After being selected in the draft in 2011, Lee continued to work at his craft and was called up to the Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A Twins affiliate) in 2015 and appeared in six games for the Lookouts this year. On May 12 Lee made his first appearance with the Shuckers, staying in Double-A. "I like it a lot being with the Brewers (organization), they really work with you and give you time to figure things out," said Lee, who allowed just two-hits in three innings of work in his most recent appearance on July 7. "The Brewers gave me another chance and that's something I am very grateful for." Lee also expressed gratitude for his experience at West Florida High, showing his prep baseball memories aren't too far behind. "They were all great coaches (at West Florida High)," Lee said. "It was all business on the field. There was no playing around. But those coaches taught us how to get work done and have fun at the same time. It was a good atmosphere that kept baseball fun."

Brewers prospects having up-and-down years in the minors By Todd Rosiak of the Journal Sentinel A pretty good summary given the constraints of a single column, actually...

19-year-old rookie DSL RHP Daniel Acosta has issued 18 walks in his first seven innings. *** Via our talk on the Transaction Thread -- Going by that link, Mendez seems a bit undersized. Or it's a "phantom" roster move...just kidding, dude tripled and walked in his debut. While his Player Page is incomplete on the height and weight, the DSL Brewers roster page lists the new 18-year-old OF at an impressive 6'4", 195.

VIDEO via KFBB in Helena: Contract Signing a Family Affair for Brewers' Whalen

VIDEO via KFBB in Helena: Contract Signing a Family Affair for Brewers' Whalen

As posted in full within our season-long Sky Sox archive feature thread -- Colorado Springs pitcher Damien Magnifico prepares for Triple-A All-Star Game, eventual majors shot By Eden Laase, Colorado Springs Gazette http://cdn.csgazette.biz/cache/r960-3eb20de0b50ec68e53b5b4dd5f7c7997.jpg Photo by the Gazette's Ryan Jones Magnifico (mag-nif-i-co) definition: 1. A Spanish or Italian word meaning magnificent, wonderful, glorious, superb. 2. An eminent, powerful or illustrious person. 3. The last name of Sky Sox closer, Damien Magnifico, whose moniker is of Italian origins.

Colorado Springs pitcher Damien Magnifico prepares for Triple-A All-Star Game, eventual majors shot By Eden Laase, Colorado Springs Gazette http://cdn.csgazette.biz/cache/r960-3eb20de0b50ec68e53b5b4dd5f7c7997.jpg Photo by the Gazette's Ryan Jones Magnifico (mag-nif-i-co) definition: 1. A Spanish or Italian word meaning magnificent, wonderful, glorious, superb. 2. An eminent, powerful or illustrious person. 3. The last name of Sky Sox closer, Damien Magnifico, whose moniker is of Italian origins. Magnifico is a player who has been nearly magnificent at the Triple-A level, with 12 saves in 14 attempts, and a spot in the Triple-A All-Star Game, taking place Wednesday. His ERA has been on the rise in recent outings, but according to Sky Sox pitching coach Fred Dabney, Magnifico still has big-league stuff. It's safe to say, the guy can pitch. He can also give a pretty sweet haircut. Magnifico deals heaters to opponents, and fresh cuts to his teammates. The pitcher served as his team's barber from Junior College baseball at Howard College all the way through high-A minor league baseball. Now, he has passed off the hair-cutting duties, but maintains that he still has the skills. "I can do pretty much whatever cut they ask," Magnifico said. "If they show me a picture, I can usually figure it out." Cutting hair is easy, no matter the level. But Magnifico knows he will have his work cut out for him pitching in the majors. Being superb at the minor-league level, and the major-league level are two different animals. For now, the Texas native isn't looking for anything more than staying power. He knows that lots of players make the jump from Triple-A to the majors, but few stick around. When the 25-year-old gets the call-up, he wants it to be for good. "A lot of guys go up and down," he said. "I just want to make it and stay there." Magnifico was named to the Brewers' 40-man roster in November, and Dabney said he has the ability to make it as a big league pitcher. "We see him as a late-inning guy at the next level, anywhere from the sixth inning on kind of gig. The possibility of being a closer is in his future," Dabney said. "He has a plus fastball and a really good sink with that. He has a plus-type slider that he is continuing to get better with the command. When you have two plus pitches you can be a late-inning guy at the next level." Along with his pitching ability, Magnifico has the ideal demeanor of a closer. The softspoken righty takes a no-nonsense approach to pitching, something that has been with him since his days at Oklahoma. The first time Magnifico hit the elusive triple-digits on a radar gun, he was pitching in a fall game for the Sooners. He came into the dugout after his first inning, and teammates excitedly let him know he had hit 100. His response: "Was it a strike?" His teammates were so caught up with the speed that they couldn't remember. "They didn't know," he said, a slight smile appearing on his otherwise serious face. "And I was like 'well I have another inning to pitch so we will talk about this later.'" Magnifico will admit back then he was a bit too serious. Now he is better at rolling with the punches. "I don't take things as seriously anymore, results-wise, because I know everything is a process, so you have to just build off of each outing," he said. His next outing will be in the Triple-A All-Star Game, hosted in Charlotte, N.C., where Magnifico will be accompanied by Sky Sox teammates Orlando Arcia and Manny Pina. The game is just another stop on Magnifico's long list of baseball goals, which he hopes leads to the big leagues. "You set many goals throughout the season and that is always one of them for the midpoint to know that you have done pretty well over the first half," he said. "My main goal is to make it to the big leagues, but sometimes you have to just keep on trying to figure it out down here."

As also posted in our season-long Timber Rattler archive thread -- VIDEO via WBAY: Ghelfi’s versatility helps keep him in lineup

VIDEO via WBAY: Ghelfi’s versatility helps keep him in lineup

PHOTOS at the link Shuckers’ Betancourt makes turnaround at plate Venezuelan entered July with a batting average of .196 Betancourt is 9-of-25 over the last nine games Betancourt has settled at 2nd base, his natural position Patrick Magee, Biloxi Sun-Herald The month of July has treated Shuckers infielder Javier Betancourt much better than June. The 21-year-old native of Venezuela struggled badly at the plate in June and he entered July with a batting average of .196, but his fortunes have changed dramatically over the last couple of weeks. In the last nine games, Betancourt has hits in eight of those contests. He is 9-of-25 during that stretch, improving his batting average to .214. Betancourt and hitting coach Sandy Guerrero have spent plenty of time together to make sure his swing got back on track. “We've been working every day before a game, sometimes after the game,” Betancourt said last week. “During the all-star break, we were working because there was something wrong. We're trying to fix it and it's working out. I'm seeing the ball good. I'm just trying to keep it up.” Betancourt has been on the upswing lately while many of his teammates have been dealing with some struggles in the early portion of the second half of the season. It was Betancourt who provided the decisive hit Monday night to end a six-game losing streak for the Shuckers. The skid was the longest in the team's two-year history. He ripped a double down the left field line to score a pair of runs in the seventh inning to hand the Shuckers a 3-1 win at Pensacola. Betancourt has proven steady with runners on base for much of the season and ranks third on the team with 31 RBIs. Betancourt has also seen much more time at his more natural position, second base, after playing a lot of shortstop early in the season. He has a .980 fielding percent at second base, compared to .939 at shortstop. A career first When Johnny Davis stepped to the plate in the ninth inning of Sunday's 4-3 loss at Pensacola, he had yet to hit a home run as a pro. That all changed with a blast over the right field fence. His first home run came as a pinch hitter. The home run came in his 234th career game and 987th plate appearance. Davis has added some speed to the Biloxi lineup since his promotion from Class-A Brevard County (Fla.). He is batting .258 with 12 runs scored and five stolen bases. Big stage Former Shuckers left-hander Josh Hader earned a spot in the 2016 Futures MLB All-Stars Futures Game this past Sunday. He managed to strike out the only batter he faced in the game. Hader, who is now at Triple-A Colorado Springs, is 2-3 with a 2.56 ERA in 81 innings pitched this season. He has 104 strikeouts and 33 walks. Strong impression Right-hander Junior Rincon has been impressive out of the bullpen since he was promoted to Biloxi from Brevard County. Rincon has retired all 24 batters, including 12 by strikeouts in eight innings. Rincon was 0-2 with a 3.50 ERA in 19 appearances for Brevard County this season.

VIDEO via Fox11Online: More Monday Timber Rattlers' highlights and more with Manager Matt Erickson