Jim Goulart

From two days ago, the 14th: Viramontes has been returned to the Biloxi active roster, as per the Shuckers.

Newest Brewers property 3B Matt Dominguez had his contract purchased late in 2011. He was optioned in 2012, and not again until 2015, so he has yet another option if need be for 2016.

Brewers announce: LHP Wei-Chung Wang DFA'd to make room for waiver claim (Astros) 3B Matt Dominguez, who was optioned to AAA. There is a discussion thread on Wang here.

And just like that, Wang DFA'd to make room for waiver claim (Astros) 3B Matt Dominguez, who was optioned to AAA. I was among those above on the wrong side of that discussion in terms of the actual move by Milwaukee.

The White Sox have finally activated former Brewers farmhand Nick Delmonico, and assigned him, at least for now, to (low) A-Ball with Kannapolis in the South Atlantic League. Delmonico only turns 23 in July. He's listed as a first baseman, where he has seen action before, we'll have to see if he returns to third base at some point. Prior Delmonico thread for background

The Biloxi Sun-Herald reports that Burgos is expected to be on the Colorado Springs roster after his Temp Inactive stint.

February 08, 2012 Wow! First SoCalBrewfan post since that date. One of the all-time greats! Welcome back and don't be a stranger!

Charlie Donovan: 'Cool feeling' being taken in MLB Draft by Jason Rossi (Downers Grove, IL Newspaper) WESTMONT – The professional baseball scouts came out in droves to watch Charlie Donovan in person this season, and he knew he had a great chance to be taken in the MLB Draft. Yet the recent Westmont graduate found out second-hand when he was picked in the 30th round by the Milwaukee Brewers on June 10. "I wasn't even following the draft," Donovan said. "One of my friends was the first one to notify me, and then a few minutes later the Milwaukee Brewers area scout called me. "It's cool. Even though it wasn't a high round it's a good feeling and I'm thankful to the Brewers. It's definitely something to feel good about, and it kind of represents a lot of the hard work I've put in." It's not hard to see what pro teams like about Donovan. A shortstop on varsity all four years of high school, he put up eye-popping numbers offensively whether batting in the leadoff spot (as he did this year) or batting further down the order (as he did in the No. 3 spot last season). He hit for both average (.483 this season) and power (seven home runs), and showed a discerning batting eye, drawing 32 walks and striking out just 16 times this season. Donovan was also a terror on the base paths with 44 stolen bases. With his combination of speed, power at the plate and strong arm, he had the potential to go in the first few rounds of the draft, but after signing with the University of Michigan in November (that after committing to the school as a freshman) he was firm on his commitment to the Wolverines. "It was realistic that I would have the opportunity to go in the first three rounds, from what teams were telling me, but ultimately I think I have more maturing and life experiences to go through, and college will help me do that," Donovan said. Before heading to Michigan, Donovan will have one more summer just like the past few. He'll play for the Prairie Gravel travel team, play catch with younger brother Joe Donovan in the front yard, hit off a tee in his garage and perfect his batting eye in batting cages. "I'll play with the Gravel until August and then go," he said. "I think I have about three months of summer until then."

A Braves trade that might fit: Bethancourt for Lucroy Mainly posted because I can't believe people can keep their jobs when they write stuff like this.

FYI - Both McDowell and Galiano were activated on the Bourne Cape Cod League roster on Monday.

And Kyle Wren to AAA, no news quite yet on a corresponding move with the Sky Sox. In a separate transaction, RHP Hiram Burgos goes on the Temporary Inactive List at Biloxi. Congrats, Victor and Kyle!

Nice upcoming challenge for the Shuckers -- The best Jacksonville Suns’ news on Monday came from 300 miles away and involved Miami Marlins standout pitcher Jose Fernandez. Reports surfaced out of Miami that Fernandez will make a rehab start for the Suns on Saturday, June 27, against the Biloxi Shuckers. The Marlins pitcher had Tommy John surgery last year and just recently returned to the mound. Fernandez was originally slated to start the 2013 season with the Suns but a couple of injuries to Marlins starters resulted in his making the jump from Class-A Jupiter directly to the major leagues. Fernandez was only going to spend a couple weeks with the Marlins before coming to Jacksonville but he was so impressive early on, he stayed with the Marlins and went on to win the National League Rookie of the Year that season. Fernandez has made two rehab starts for Jupiter and will make his next start in Rock Round, Texas on Wednesday for the Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate, the New Orleans Zephyrs. He will then make another appearance for Jupiter before embarking on his final rehab start in Jacksonville on the 27th. Fernandez announced on the Marlins television broadcast Monday night that he plans on returning to the Marlins after that and will make his first major league outing on July 2 in Miami against the San Francisco Giants.

AUDIO: Catcher Cameron Garfield joins the Manatees Radio Network *** AUDIO: Manager Joe Ayrault joins the Manatees Radio Network to recap the seven-game road trip

Colorado Springs' Matt Long hits a solo homer in the third inning of an 8-7 Sunday loss at Iowa

Final: Oklahoma City 5, Colorado Springs 2, six innings, rain Sky Sox Can't Overcome Sixth, Rain In 5-2 Loss Oklahoma City Scores Three in the Sixth to Down Sox in 6.1 Inning Contest By Ed Pearsall / Colorado Springs Sky Sox http://www.milb.com/assets/images/2/8/8/117588288/cuts/04_09_035_pk_d6wt810o_fzmwc17h.jpg Elian Herrera tied the ballgame at two in the fifth inning thanks to a clutch, two-out RBI double. (Photo by Paat Kelly) The Sox got off to a quick start on Monday before a tough sixth inning and tougher weather helped the Oklahoma City Dodgers take home a rain-shortened 5-2 victory before a crowd of 3,320 at Security Service Field. The Sox would strike first on Monday, plating a run in the home second against OKC left-hander and former big leaguer Eric Surkamp (2-4, 6.35). Nevin Ashley led off the frame with a flyout before consecutive singles by Robinzon Diaz and Donnie Murphy gave Colorado Springs runners on the corners with one out. Chris Nelson followed with an RBI force out; beating the relay throw from second to avoid an inning-ending double play that gave Diaz the chance to come home with the game's first run. Sox starter Josh Roenicke (4-3, 4.81) cruised through three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and helping the Sox to a 1-0 lead along the way. Things changed for the right-hander in the fourth as he allowed two runs on three hits in the frame alone, quickly handing the 2-1 lead to Oklahoma City. The Dodgers would score their first on an Austin Barnes one-out, RBI double before taking the lead with Andy Wilkins scoring on a Buck Britton groundout. Roenicke got the best of O'Koyea Dickson, inducing a fly out from the outfielder to prevent further damage. Roenicke bounced back in the next frame, keeping the Dodgers off the scoreboard in the fifth before his offense provided just enough support to tie the ballgame. Elian Herrera knocked in the equalizer with a clutch two-out RBI double that banged off of the right field wall to score Yadiel Rivera all the way from first. The score would not remain tied for long as Roenicke would face another trying frame in the OKC sixth. The Dodgers lineup strung together three straight hits to load the bases before the Sox could record an out in the sixth, giving the visitors a 4-2 lead on a Barnes two-run single. Roenicke buckled down, getting two outs immediately following the consecutive hits. Outfielder Scott Schebler rounded out the game's scoring with a two-out triple to the deepest part of the ballpark, extending the Doders' lead to 5-2 after six. Roenicke would be lifted in favor of Ariel Pena in the top of the seventh, tossing six innings of five-run ball on nine hits while striking out three. The reliever-turned-starter did not issue a single free pass. Surkamp on the other hand would wind up with a complete game victory in the rain-shortened contest. The lefty allowed just the two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out seven over his six strong frames. Pena would record one out in his 0.1 of an inning thanks to Ashley catching leadoff man Darnell Sweeney trying to steal second. The right-hander walked Brian Burgamy in the following at-bat. Pena fell to an 1-0 count on top prospect Corey Seager before the heavens opened up, forcing umpires to call off play before ultimately calling the game to due inclement weather. The game went the necessary five innings to earn the "official" designation. Unfortunately the elements prevented the Sox from a comeback try, falling 5-2 in the shortened 6.1 inning ballgame. With the loss, the Sky Sox fall to 25-37 as Oklahoma City improves to 42-21 thanks to the rain. The Sox and Dodgers are back at it tomorrow in game two of this three-game set in Colorado Springs. Former Twins starter Scott Baker (5-3, 3.99) gets the call for OKC as he faces off with Nick Additon (1-2, 6.91) on Tuesday night at Security Service Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM MDT (8:05 Central). Colorado Springs Box Score Honestly, this roster is such a place-holder for the Biloxi squad in 2016 it's not even funny. Yadiel Rivera was the only starter in the lineup who could be part of the next above .500 Brewers squad (add Matt Clark if you're a Clark fan, but he'll be 29 for the 2016 season). Add in the ridiculously awful weather the Springs have had thus far, and that's got to be a classic AAA clubhouse, not exactly Disneyland despite Tim Dillard's efforts to keep things light. Colorado Springs Game Log

Brief appearance in majors provides boost to Sky Sox pitcher Tyler Cravy By Brent Briggeman, Colorado Springs Gazette Also posted in full in our 2015 Sky Sox feature archive thread...

Brief appearance in majors provides boost to Sky Sox pitcher Tyler Cravy By Brent Briggeman, Colorado Springs Gazette Tyler Cravy will forever remember Matt Holliday's reaction. Holliday was ejected in the seventh inning June 2 after arguing a called third strike against Cravy. The ejection put an end to Holliday's streak of reaching base after an National League-record 45 games to start the season. "When Holiday got ejected, I'll remember that," Cravy said. "He wasn't too happy, but I thought the pitch was a strike. It was nice to end his on-base streak. That will be a good memory." Cravy will take a lot more from his two-day glimpse in the major leagues than that one moment, but it's a nice place to start. The Brewers called on Cravy when a 17-inning game May 31 decimated the pitching staff. He came up from the Sky Sox and threw seven innings in a tough-luck 1-0 loss. He gave up four hits, struck out six and walked two. "Everything was down. That was a great start," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said after the game. "The best start we've seen in a while, for sure." The performance did nothing to change Milwaukee's roster situation. Cravy was sent back to Colorado Springs the next day. "He knew it might only be for one start," Sky Sox manager Rick Sweet said. "We didn't hide things. He knew it could be a short stay. "Now they know he can go up there under the light up there and pitch, too. That's big for confidence. But you still have to continue to improve. You can't say, 'Well, I've pitched good once.' Do it again. It's all about what you have done for me lately." Sweet said the only danger in a situation like Cravy's is the frustration a player can feel when a quality performance isn't enough to earn more time. Cravy has instead responded by winning his first two starts back with the Sky Sox on the most recent road trip, giving up just one run in 12 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts and just one walk. "I was getting pretty comfortable before that, just trusting my stuff and trying not to overthrow everything," Cravy said. "I'm focusing on keeping everything down in the zone and letting guys get themselves out." By earning a call-up, even though it lasted just two days, Cravy is on the major league medical plan for the rest of the year. He has also shown himself he could handle the nerves of making his first major-league start and retire batters at the highest level - even if some, like Holliday, took issue with it. Little-known improved insurance bonus? *** More from the Gazette -- VOICE MAIL WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THE SAME Tyler Cravy said he nearly didn't answer the call that he'd been waiting for his entire professional life. He was driving home May 31 when manager Rick Sweet reached him. "It was a Vancouver number and I didn't recognize it," said Cravy, 25. "But I thought I'd see who it is. He said, 'Do you know who this is?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'This is your manager, you're going to the big leagues.'"

TV Report: Colorado Springs Sky Sox pitcher Tim Dillard takes to Twitter to help pass the time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMewzGjI04M

TV Report: Colorado Springs Sky Sox pitcher Tim Dillard takes to Twitter to help pass the time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMewzGjI04M

Ortega spins his first nine-inning shutout Manatees righty holds Hammerheads to four hits for third straight win By Kelsie Heneghan / MiLB.com http://www.milb.com/assets/images/8/8/4/130838884/cuts/Jorge_Ortega_ciajp9ex_ngcts31w.jpg Jorge Ortega has not issued a walk to Florida State League foes in his last five starts with Brevard County. (Cliff Welch/MiLB.com) Jorge Ortega didn't need many pitches to warm up in the bullpen before his start. But in that limited time, batterymate Cameron Garfield and pitching coach Dave Chavarria could tell it was going to be a good start. The right-handed Milwaukee prospect tossed nine four-hit frames and didn't issue a walk for the fifth straight start as Class A Advanced Brevard County blanked Jupiter, 4-0. It was his fourth complete game of the season, but his first shutout. "He has good tempo, first-pitch strikes is a big thing with him and that's what he did tonight. A nice job of working ahead and getting hitters into swinging mode," Chavarria said. "He was locked in and repeating delivery and located from the very first warm-up pitch." Ortega (6-4) retired the first seven batters before running into a little trouble in the third. Harold Riggins doubled and Yefri Perez singled, but the 21-year-old settled into another groove. "The thing is, he doesn't waver out on the mound, he doesn't panic mode. I think he ran maybe three counts where he got into a three-ball count. He didn't shy away from the strike zone and he challenged guys in most counts," Chavarria said. "But it comes back down to confidence in what he wants to throw, conviction and just executing the pitch. He's very good at those things. It's just part of him, he just has a lot of mound presence when he goes out there." The right-hander allowed singles to Marlins' No. 9 prospect Brian Anderson and No. 10 Austin Dean in the final three innings, but Ortega hung on for the victory. He delivered 93 pitches for his first nine-inning shutout. "He hasn't thrown one game this year over 100 pitches; all of his complete games have been 95 pitches or below," the coach said. "He works both sides of the plate, he's not afraid of throwing the ball in the strike zone, he's not afraid of contact. It's just the basics of pitching and he does it very, very well." The last time Ortega kept the opponents from crossing the plate for an entire game was on June 23, 2011, when he spun a seven-inning shutout for the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Brewers. "Ortega pitched a gem, he's fearless on the mound," Garfield said. "I knew exactly in the bullpen, first couple pitches, like I said, he's fearless, he's not afraid to pitch to any hitter." The 6-foot-1 hurler lowered his ERA to 1.80 -- the lowest it's been since his first start -- while lowering his WHIP to a Florida State League-best 0.77. Ortega has issued just five free passes in his 76 innings this season. Chavarria said a big help to Ortega's game is the fact he is studious and always asking other pitchers questions. When farmhand Hiram Burgos spent seven games in Brevard County this year, the 21-year-old made good use of his time with a locker right next to the 27-year-old. "He understands hitters, he has a knack for when to add and subtract on pitches, he controls tempo [and] he controls the strike zone very well…. He understands if he makes a mistake, and usually if he does make a mistake, it's usually the right pitch. He just misses barely with location -- that's when he makes mistakes, which is very seldom," Chavarria said. "It's one of those things where when he's on the mound, it's kind of his sanctuary. He just goes out there and puts in all his work the four days before and Day 5 is a fun day. He enjoys himself out there." Garfield helped his batterymate with three hits and an RBI, while Omar Garcia plated two runs and Angel Ortega added another. Jupiter starter Sean Townsley (3-8) allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out five in five innings.

VIDEO: Timber Rattler game highlights, including Dustin DeMuth's three-run HR

Had to go back and look at the Jorge Ortega archives, going back to his age 17-18 year old 2011 DSL season. Amazing to see that the young Venezuelan was doing much of the same back then -- LINK: Ortega was efficient with an ERA of 1.80 in 25.0 IP in July, only giving up 17 hits and 3BB. But also only 16Ks (5.8K/9IP). 2012 links, glance at these: Opening game Five days later July 9th DSL All-Star Game August 6th 7-inning complete game *** So we saw it coming even 3-4 years ago, but not sure we saw this coming, jumping Wisconsin with ease; need to see how those smaller parks outside the Florida State League will treat Jorge...

Bob Brainerd's latest Timber Rattlers feature -- Kodi Medeiros

In what must be a first, we link to an interview with a member of the Dominican Summer League Brewers. Not sure how you pulled it off, Brad Krause, but kudos to our Link Reporter. Brad's fine website: Miller Park Prospects -- Profile: Franly Mallen *** Bob Brainerd's latest Timber Rattlers feature -- Kodi Medeiros Each of the above also linked in our respective season-long feature threads...

In what must be a first, we link to an interview with a member of the Dominican Summer League Brewers. Not sure how you pulled it off, Brad, but kudos to our Link Reporter. Brad's fine website: Miller Park Prospects -- Profile: Franly Mallen