Matt Breen

#1 ( - ) Lewis Brinson, OF, AAA Colorado Springs, Age 22 883 points (27 1st place votes) - 36 of 36 ballots The right-handed hitting CF has all the tools to be an all-star - speed, power, athleticism, instincts. The guy just flat out looks like a star. But even stars need to stay healthy and show some patience at the plate. That’s been Brinson’s issues (along with too many strikeouts). If Lewis can keep producing like he did after he was acquired at the trade deadline, it should land him in Milwaukee by the trade deadline. #2 ( - ) Josh Hader, LHP, AAA Colorado Springs, Age 23 858 points (6 1st place votes) - 36 of 36 ballots Some analysts still aren’t sure where Hader profiles due some control issues. Some see him as a quality closer, while others feel he can be a top-of-the-rotation guy. The Brewers will keep Hader in the rotation and hope for the latter. Barring an implosion or injury, expect the lanky lefty in Milwaukee sometime this year. #3 (+1) Isan Diaz, 2B/SS, A+ Carolina, Age 20 799 points (1 1st place vote) - 36 of 36 ballots Expectations are high for Diaz after coming off a season where he lead the Midwest league in home runs, despite starting slowly. Diaz strikes out a lot, but he mitigates that by taking his walks, getting lots of extra base hits, and making hard contact. If Diaz can repeat - or even improve - on his 2016, he will be battling for the top spot on Brewer prospect lists. #4 (+7) Lucas Erceg, 3B, A+ Carolina, Age 21 754 points (1 1st place vote) - 36 of 36 ballots No player has vaulted up the rankings like Erceg since hitting .400 in the Pioneer League last summer. A nice spring has garnered him some major attention from national writers and analysts. Drafted for his plus hitting skills, Erceg has also impressed people on the field with his range, athleticism and strong arm (he was also a pitcher in college). As a college player, expect the Brewers to push Erceg quickly through the system if he continues to produce. #5 (-2) Luis Ortiz, RHP, AA Biloxi, Age 21 731 points - 36 of 36 ballots Ortiz fell a couple of spots in our poll due to the helium associated with Diaz and Erceg - rather than his own fault. He is a well-rounded pitcher, finding success at each step in the minor league ladder, who needs to build up his inning in 2017. Probably the thing that concerns baseball people most is Ortiz’s conditioning. He is a big guy, and some players are just fine with the extra weight, while others struggle because of it. #6 ( - ) Corey Ray, OF, Age 22 726 points - 36 of 36 ballots Ray hasn’t been assigned to a team yet as he is at extended Spring Training while he gets back into playing shape following offseason knee surgery. Expect him to head to A+ Carolina once he is ready. Some felt the Brewers were too aggressive with Ray last year - placing him at Brevard County once he had signed. In the month of July, he struggled with a .528 OPS. However, in August he produced an .819 OPS. With his elite athleticism and outstanding makeup, expect more of the latter in 2017 from Ray. #7 (+1) Brandon Woodruff, RHP, AAA Colorado Springs, Age 24 705 points - 36 of 36 ballots After an outstanding 2016, BF.net fans expect the big righty to continue to produce at Colorado Springs. Woodruff was viewed as a reliever out of college - a guy with good stuff but with questionable control (he walked 51 batters in 90 inning in his college career). But he has found a home as a starting pitcher, and his command just keeps improving. Like Hader, expect Woodruff to be in Milwaukee by the season’s end. #8 (+1) Trent Clark, OF, A+ Carolina, Age 20 577 points - 36 of 36 ballots After an injury-plagued 2016, Clark looks to get back on track in Carolina in the new year. A hamstring injury really affected Clark last year (he stole 25 bases in 2015, but only 5 last year) - and staying healthy will probably be the most important thing for the left handed outfielder. #9 (new) Mauricio Dubon, SS/2B, AA Biloxi, Age 22. 559 points - 35 of 36 ballots The centerpiece of the Tyler Thornburg trade this past offseason, Dubon broke out last year, hitting .323 and producing a .461 SLG% between A+ and AA. Always a solid hitter for average, Dubon has added a little pop the last couple of years - especially the latter half of 2016 at AA, where he hit 20 doubles, six triples and six HR in only 62 games. If he can keep hitting like that, Dubon will profile as a starting infielder as opposed to a utility player. #10 ( - ) Marcos Diplan, RHP, A+ Carolina, Age 20 536 points - 36 of 36 ballots For the talented Diplan, it will be about developing a third pitch in the next couple of years. His fastball and slider are above average, but he’ll need to come up some a viable changeup (as well as hone his command). If that happens - he’s a starting pitcher. If not, he likely ends up in the bullpen down the road. #11 (-6) Phil Bickford, RHP, Currently on suspended list, Age 21 513 points - 35 of 36 ballots Oh, Phil. Knucklehead. Bickford was suspended for 50 games for testing positive for a ‘drug of abuse’ this off season - a disappointing result for an athlete who knows the risk involved (he tested positive for marijuana before the 2015 draft). When he returns, the Brewers are hoping that the outstanding command he had shown in the SF organization returns. #12 (-5) Brett Phillips, OF, AAA Colorado Springs, Age 22 509 points - 35 of 36 ballots This may be the make-or-break season for Phillips. Is he the player who had 60+ extra base hits in each of 2014 and 2015 while hitting over .300? Or is he the guy who hit .229 last year and struck out 154 times at AA? Well, I want the former player - but we will have to wait and see. With his cannon arm, Phillips doesn’t need to hit .300 to be a valuable starter. But if he doesn’t improve on his 2016 performance, the shine will certainly be off his star. The five position drop over the off season shows the uneasiness of BF.net voters. #13 ( - ) Cody Ponce, RHP, A+ Carolina, Age 22 368 points - 35 of 36 ballots I want a healthy Cody Ponce. The big righty has a well rounded arsenal, but has struggled to stay on the field as a pro. He had shoulder fatigue in 2015, then last year he had forearm fatigue. That’s lead to only 123 innings of work over his first two seasons. Ponce does a lot of things well - but you have to love the minuscule walk rate (only 26 walks given up as a pro). He has, however, been very hittable at times. A healthy Ponce should carve up Carolina and end up in Biloxi by mid-season. #14 (+3) Ryan Cordell, OF, AAA Colorado Springs, Age 25 362 points - 32 of 36 ballots A nice spring helped push Cordell up the rankings three spots. There are legitimate concerns about Cordell’s contact rate, but he’s an athletic guy who has a nice blend of speed and power. His ability to play all three outfield positions should at least get him a shot as a backup outfielder in the future. #15 (-3) Jorge Lopez, RHP, AA Biloxi, Age 24 358 points - 31 of 36 ballots Most of 2016 was a disaster for Lopez - as his 7.49 ERA at Colorado Springs will attest to. But the tall righty found his groove back in Biloxi late in the season, and had a nice winter campaign in Puerto Rico (1.56 ERA in 34.2 inning). For Jorge, it’s about command. He’s got three good pitches and quality stuff - but throughout his career he’s been inconsistent with his command. Let’s hope he puts it together. #16 (-2) Gilbert Lara, SS, A Wisconsin, Age 19 254 points - 31 of 36 ballots People just aren’t sure of what to make of Gilbert Lara. There’s a ton of raw power in the young man, but he’s failed to translate it into game situations. He’s been described as stiff and uncomfortable as a hitter - then he’ll launch a bomb that makes scouts salivate. Lara is only 19 - but he’s got three years of development under his belt. If he fails to produce in 2017, he will likely tumble down the ranks of Brewer prospects. #17 (-1) Freddy Peralta, RHP, A+ Carolina, Age 20 248 points - 32 of 36 ballots Peralta represents all that is solid and unexciting about a prospect. He does everything pretty well, but nothing great. His excellent performance at Wisconsin last year was tempered by poor numbers when promoted to Brevard County. Not a big guy, Peralta needs to find a bit more consistency if he wants to stay in the rotation as he moves to the upper minors. #18 (-3) Jacob Nottingham, C, AA Biloxi, Age 22 231 points - 33 of 36 ballots I can feel the apprehension in the votes for Jacob Nottingham. No one wants to dismiss a once heralded prospect, but Nottingham’s mediocre performance in 2016 is causing angst for many. After tearing up A ball in 2015, Nottingham regressed as a hitter last season. But more troubling was his failure to step up his game behind the plate. Most scouts are skeptical of his future there - and that would necessitate a move to another position (likely 1B) - where his bat just isn’t that good (at least at this point). On the positive side, Nottingham has been pushed hard - and repeating AA might help him regain his mojo. 2017 will be telling. #19 (+1) Monte Harrison, OF, A- Wisconsin, Age 21 220 points - 27 of 36 ballots If you wanted to sculpt an athlete, Harrison wouldn’t be a bad model. Harrison has all the traits you’d want in a baseball player, but he has not been able to put those things together to be successful. Injuries have, no doubt, hobbled Harrison’s development. But at some point he needs to start producing. He has looked good this spring, so let’s hope Monte can stay healthy and put up some good numbers in his third go-around at Wisconsin. #20 (-1) Corbin Burnes, RHP, A+ Carolina, Age 22 205 points - 27 of 36 ballots Burnes surprisingly fell to the Brewers in the 4th round in last year’s draft. He cruised through his debut campaign - not a surprise as an advanced college arm. He is an athletic player with a good fastball - although his control has been nothing special. #21 ( - ) Nathan Kirby, LHP, Age 23 191 points - 24 of 36 ballots It’s been two years since the Brewers made Kirby a #1 pick (40th overall). Tommy John surgery has limited him to just 12.2 innings since that time, but Kirby should be back on the mound in early 2017 (he is currently at extended Spring Training). An advanced college pitcher, Kirby will likely start low on the minor league ladder, but move quickly as he show’s he is healthy. #22 (+12) Taylor Williams, RHP, AA Biloxi, Age 25 160 points - 21 of 36 ballots Two years ago Williams was the talk of Spring Training, flashing a big fastball and an aggressive approach on the mound. Ryan Braun said to Williams, “You might have the best stuff of any pitcher in camp.” Insert two long years and a Tommy John surgery, and Williams is finally back. He looked so impressive in the off season, the Brewers placed him on the 40-man roster to prevent someone from taking him in the Rule Five draft. Watch for Williams to be eased back onto the mound in 2017 as they build back up his arm strength and stamina. #23 ( - ) Jake Gatewood, 3B/1B, A+ Carolina, Age 21 159 points - 24 of 36 ballots 2017 may be the year we see the real Gatewood. Will he continue to produce middling results? Or can he get his game together and emerge as a viable prospect? The Brewers have worked at great lengths with Gatewood to try and get his mechanics to a place that will cut down his swing-and-miss issues - but also let him tap into his considerable raw power. A classic boom or bust guy - Gatewood should be fun to watch in 2017. #24 (-6) Kodi Medeiros, LHP, A+ Carolina, Age 20 115 points - 19 of 36 ballots The Brewers top pick from the 2014 continues to tumble down the prospect ranks. Nothing went right for Medeiros in 2016. Injuries - coupled with poor control - resulted in a poor season. His streaks of dominance are often followed by two or three sub-par outings - making him a frustrating player to analyze. Many scouts see a move to the bullpen in the near future, where Kodi could be an effective force. #25 (-1) Demi Orimoloye, OF, A+ Wisconsin, Age 20 81 points - 17 of 36 ballots Orimoloye is a quintessential project. There is all sorts to love about the guy - including speed and power - but he is very raw. Like Gatewood, Orimoloye is a lottery ticket. Also like Gatewood, he will be fun to watch in 2017. All ages are as of April 13, 2017. The rest Mario Feliciano - 51 points Brent Suter - 50 Jon Perrin - 48 Braden Webb - 43 Jacob Barnes - 38 Josh Pennington - 37 Troy Stokes - 35 Wei-Chung Wang - 31 Jordan Yamamoto - 30 Ronnie Gideon - 28 Trey Supak - 28 Devin Williams - 24 Garrett Cooper - 22 Clint Coulter - 21 Michael Reed - 16 Gabriel Garcia - 16 Joantgel Segovia - 13 Jean Carmona - 10 Chad McClanahan - 8 Mitch Ghelfi - 7 Kyle Wren - 7 Zack Brown - 7 Wes Wilson - 4 Yhonathan Barrios - 4 Blake Lillis - 4 Aaron Wilkerson - 3 Max McDowell - 3 Nash Walters - 3 Tyrone Taylor - 2 Adrian Houser - 1 Dustin Houle - 1 Thomas Jankins - 1 Jesus Aguilar - 1 Luis Aviles - 1 Full voting thread: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=35024

Sox Lose in Pitcher's Duel Garza tosses five innings in first rehab appearance. By Colorado Springs Sky Sox Kyle Wren's RBI single in the 8th inning tied the score at AutoZone Park. (Photo: Paat Kelly) Colorado Springs Box Score Almost. The Sky Sox almost pulled out a win, coming back to tie the Memphis Redbirds in the 8th on a Kyle Wren single - only to have Rob Scahill surrender a home run in the bottom half of the inning - leading to a 2-1 lose. Both Redbird runs came on solo HRs. On the plus side, Matt Garza threw five strong innings (73 pitches), allowing a run, two hits and two walks while striking out four. Expect him back in Milwaukee shortly. The bats were mostly silent for the Sky Sox. Tyler Heineman (2-3, 2B) managed a pair of hits, and Garrett Cooper (1-4) extended his hitting streak to six games. Brett Phillips continues to strike out at a high rate. He has now struck out 10 times in 25 at bats. Colorado Springs Game Log The Sky Sox had a chance to take the lead in the 8th inning. After getting a run on Wren’s single, they had runners at the corner with only one out. Unfortunately, two consecutive ground balls couldn’t get in another runner. The Redbirds would re-take the lead in the bottom of the inning on an HR. Col. Springs Top of the 8th Yadiel Rivera singles on a ground ball to second baseman Wilfredo Tovar. Tyler Heineman singles on a bunt ground ball to first baseman Luke Voit. Yadiel Rivera to 2nd. Offensive Substitution: Pinch-hitter Eric Sogard replaces Stephen Kohlscheen. Eric Sogard strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by pitcher Arturo Reyes. Yadiel Rivera to 3rd. Tyler Heineman to 2nd. Kyle Wren singles on a line drive to center fielder Harrison Bader. Yadiel Rivera scores. Tyler Heineman to 3rd. Ivan De Jesus Jr. grounds out sharply, third baseman Patrick Wisdom to first baseman Luke Voit. Kyle Wren to 2nd. Ryan Cordell grounds out, shortstop Paul DeJong to first baseman Luke Voit. Memphis Bottom of the 8th Pitching Change: Rob Scahill replaces Stephen Kohlscheen, batting 2nd, replacing second baseman Ivan De Jesus Jr. Eric Sogard remains in the game as the second baseman. Todd Cunningham strikes out swinging. Chad Huffman homers (1) on a fly ball to left field. Luke Voit flies out to right fielder Brett Phillips. Harrison Bader flies out to left fielder Ryan Cordell.

Has anyone heard anything on Brinson's return? I've looked around, but not seen anything. I know he was day-to-day - but that was five days ago. Just wondering if other folks have found any news about his return. Thanks.

Sox Fall in Road Opener, 5-1 Cooper, Sogard extend hitting streaks in West Tennessee By Robby Veronesi / Colorado Springs Sky Sox Nick Noonan hit the second pinch-hit home run in Sky Sox history as a Milwaukee Brewers affiliate in the sixth inning Tuesday night. (Photo: Paat Kelly) Colorado Springs Box Score The Sky Sox had a stinker of a game on Tuesday night in Memphis. The team managed only five hits and a single run. Top prospect Josh Hader did himself no favors on the mound by surrendering five hits and a pair of walks in only three innings of work. He would give up three runs (each a solo home run) and didn’t strike out any hitters. Michael Blazek also struggled, giving up four hits and a pair of runs in just 1.1 innings of work. Offensive highlights for the Sky Sox were handled by Nick Noonan, who hit a solo home run in the 6th. Garrett Cooper went 1-2 with a walk - and now has a five game hitting streak. As a team, the Sky Sox struck out 13 times. Carson Kelly hit two of the Redbirds four home runs. On the bright side, there were no errors! Yay! And Tim Dillard threw two innings of scoreless ball. Way to go Tim! From the injury front, no word on the return of OF Lewis Brinson. He is listed as day-to-day with a dislocated finger. Colorado Springs Game Log The first inning of the Sky Sox pretty much shows off the club’s performance: Col. Springs Top of the 1st Kyle Wren called out on strikes. Eric Sogard strikes out swinging. Ryan Cordell strikes out swinging.

Voting is now done for the 2017 Pre-Season Poll. Watch for results soon.

Hader gave up a solo HR in each of the first three innings. Not a good day for Josh.

Thanks for write up, Colby. Appreciate it.

Last day to vote!! Get your ballots in soon. Thanks.

Correct. An exceptional is very, very unlikely to pick a team like Milwaukee when salary is basically the same. Of course, the league knows that - and probably wouldn't want Otani in Milwaukee or Tampa Bay or Kansas City. They want him in a big market to help sell the league.

Reillymcshane could have had a triple double against the Bucks last night You're seriously overestimating my basketball skills.

KeithStone53151, I noticed you left Dubon - who we got in the Thornburg trade - off your list. That's fine if he didn't make your top 25, but he's made all the other lists - often pretty high - so I wanted to alert you in case it was a mistake.

I'd love to find a way to sign Otani, but I don't really see a way for it to happen. But we'll try. First, the negatives are pretty big: Assuming that all the teams can offer him roughly the same amount of money (or even if we can offer a little more), then Milwaukee isn't attractive. - Far away from Japan (relative to a place like LA or Seattle or SF, which probably have frequent, direct flights) - Organization without financial resources compared to places like LA, NY, SF, etc. A place with lots of money to keep competitive is really enticing. - Community with a small Japanese population (again, compared to some of the places, especially on the coasts). - Market that offers limited endorsement opportunities. The way Otani can make a lot more money is through endorsements. Let's face it, Milwaukee isn't a great place to be for that. The place to be for that is LA or NY. - Franchise is bad - and has been bad - for a long time. Sure we've had a few years of success here and there, but it's been lots of losing for the last 25 years or so. And the team just isn't good right now. Hard to be excited about that. Only real way to convince someone like Otani to come to Milwaukee is if he's the kind of person who truly doesn't care that much about the above items. You could say: - Great farm system, will be good for a while. Will continue to feed the system so that you won't be stuck with a bunch of aging, overpaid players (see Angels) without much of a chance of winning for years. - Good facilities, strong fan base - Less pressure in Milwaukee - We'll let you play OF every day you're not pitching - You get to bat when you pitch - You'll be the biggest of the stars in our small pond - Giannis loves Milwaukee!!! If he can thrive here, so can you. - You'll still make a lot of money. Maybe not as much, but still millions. - Sausage races. Like I said, it's hard to convince a guy like Otani that Milwaukee is his best situation. But you never know.

Because it's against the rules, and if MLB found out there was a pre-arranged agreement then everyone would be screwed. And if this could be done by Milwaukee, what stops the Yankees or the Angels or whomever from just making it a $100M 'wink wink' contract?

Money is the #1 issue. In the past, other teams were willing to blow past their signing bonus allotment, and incur financial (as well as other) penalties. The Red Sox signed Moncada for $31.5M - and were hit with a $31.5M penalty for doing so (plus they couldn't sign any international amateur free agents for more than 500k over the next two years). Some teams - like the Cubs, Yankees and Red Sox - would spend $20M or more and sign 10-15 guys - a way to replenish their farm system quickly. They'd take the financial penalties and just shrug. I think the Padres did that this past year - just accepting the penalties and stocking up their system. It's basically throwing money at an issue - something the bigger markets could (and did) do. Milwaukee never went over their bonus pool (except by 5% the year they signed Lara). They played by the rules. This was true with the regular draft. For years the club stuck to their slots and rarely signed anyone over slot. They were good boys to the commissioner's office - and the teams with money ignored the issues and penalties and just kept getting better players. Money (and shortsightedness) was also an issue preventing us from establishing a large scouting presence in Latin America. The Brewers were cheap. It takes time and effort and patience to establish relationships with the scouts and trainers and players. The team didn't do that. Other clubs did that, and it has paid off for many of them in the long run. Finally, with regard to this last item - what Latin American kid would have wanted to sign with Milwaukee? If Atlanta or LA or Miami is offering $3M to a top prospect, and we offer the same - the kid is going to go with the club that he has developed a strong relationship - and where he is going to be comfortable. For a long time, Milwaukee was not exactly known as a destination for Latin American players. Look at the Brewer teams from the mid-2000s - such as 2007 or 2008. Not a single hitter who had over 100 ABs was from a Latin American country. We might have 2-3 pitchers who were from a Latin American country - but not rarely position players. A 16-year old kid from the DR or Venezuela or wherever sees that roster, they may not feel comfortable joining the organization when they have other options that seem a better fit for them. The team was like that for years and years. Not exactly a model place for a potential prospect. By the way - compare that to 2016 - Arcia, Santana, Villar, Maldonado, Perez, Flores, Guerra, Peralta, Marinez - and it's a very different story. In the end, I think it was mostly about money. And the previous ownership being cheap and shortsighted. Scouting in the Caribbean and Mexico and Venezuela cost money and time and effort. To heck with that (but Melvin made sure we had Canada covered!). I think that has changed over the last few years, but it's going to take time for the club to establish those relationships with the scouts and trainers who - in turn - have developed relationships with the top young players.

Angels got seven runs in the bottom of the 9th to beat the Mariners 10-9. http://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=370409103 Man, I would have beat myself if I had left that game early (unless I was a Mariners fan).

Sky Sox Drop Series Finale Cooper grabs team lead in RBIs in 8-3 defeat. By Robby Veronesi / Colorado Springs Sky Sox With two RBIs in Sunday's loss to Omaha, first baseman Garrett Cooper took the team lead with 6 runs batted in. (Photo: Paat Kelly) Colorado Springs Box Score The Sky Sox lost their first game of the season, falling to Omaha 8-3 in the series finale. Colorado Springs is now 3-1. Sunday’s game was a struggle offensively and defensively as players battled high winds all afternoon. Hiram Burgos - who took the lose - was knocked around for eight hits and four runs in only 3.1 innings. Burgos and reliever Stephen Kolsheen each surrendered a home run. Wei-Chung Wang and Rob Scahill produced a scoreless 8th and 9th inning, respectively. The Sky Sox bats managed only five hits. Kyle Wren (1-2, 2BB), Nate Orf (1-3, BB) and Garrett Cooper (1-4, 2B, 2RBI) were the top hitters. Cooper already has three doubles in the first four games of the year. Former Sky Sox farmhand Garin Cecchini faced his old club as a member of the Storm Chasers. He went 1-9 in the series. Colorado Springs Game Log

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Woodruff Shuts Down Storm Chasers in 11-2 Win Offense uses five-run fourth inning to cruise to the series-clinching victory. By Robby Veronesi / Colorado Springs Sky Sox Garrett Cooper drove in his first four RBIs of the season, including three on a bases-clearing double in the fourth inning. (Photo: Paat Kelly) Colorado Springs Box Score If Brandon Woodward keeps pitching like this, a ticket to Milwaukee won’t be far off. Woodruff tossed 6.1 innings of five hit ball, allowing no earned runs, as the Sky Sox routed the Omaha Storm Chasers 11-2. Woodruff struck out four batters and walked none to get the win. Not to be outshone, Sky Sox hitters rapped out 12 hits. Leading the way was Garrett Cooper (2-4, 2 2B, BB, 4 RBI), Kyle Wren (2-5), Eric Sogard (2-5, HR), Ryan Cordell (2-4) and Yadiel Rivera (2-4, HR). Colorado Springs Game Log The Sky Sox broke open the game in the bottom of 4th, scoring five runs, highlighted by Rivera’s HR and Cooper’s double. Col. Springs Bottom of the 4th Nick Noonan strikes out swinging. Yadiel Rivera homers (1) on a fly ball to left center field. Adam Weisenburger walks. Kyle Wren singles on a line drive to center fielder Bubba Starling. Adam Weisenburger to 2nd. Eric Sogard reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by third baseman Dean Anna. Adam Weisenburger to 3rd. Kyle Wren to 2nd. Pitching Change: Bobby Parnell replaces Josh Staumont. Ryan Cordell strikes out swinging. Garrett Cooper doubles (2) on a fly ball to center fielder Bubba Starling. Adam Weisenburger scores. Kyle Wren scores. Eric Sogard scores. Brett Phillips singles on a ground ball to left fielder Billy Burns. Garrett Cooper scores. Ivan De Jesus Jr. grounds into a force out, third baseman Dean Anna to second baseman Whit Merrifield. Brett Phillips out at 2nd.

Wren Produces First 2017 Walk-Off Sox use three-run 9th and 10th innings to come back and win, 8-7. By Robby Veronesi / Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Photo: Paat Kelly) Colorado Springs Box Score I feel sorry for those that left this game early. The Sky Sox were down by five runs late, but rallied to get two runs in the 7th and three more in the 9th to tie the game. Then Omaha grabbed the lead in the 10th by getting two more runs, making it 7-5. But the Sky Sox weren’t done, plating three runs in the bottom of the frame to win the game 8-7. The Sky Sox had 14 hits in the game, led by Kyle Wren (2-5, walk), Garrett Cooper (2-5), Brett Phillips (2-5, HR, 2B), Nate Orf (2-4, 3B, BB) and Yadiel Rivera (3-4, BB). The Colorado Springs pitching staff was uninspiring, giving up 15 hits in 10 innings (although they only walked two batters). Colorado Springs Game Log Here’s the rundown of the dramatic 10th inning - keyed by Phillips 2-run HR to tie the game. Col. Springs Bottom of the 10th Pitching Change: Andrew Edwards replaces Al Alburquerque. Garrett Cooper singles on a ground ball to second baseman Whit Merrifield. Brett Phillips homers (1) on a fly ball to right field. Garrett Cooper scores. Nate Orf walks. Nick Noonan grounds into a double play, shortstop Ramon Torres to first baseman Ryan O'Hearn. Nate Orf out at 2nd. Yadiel Rivera singles on a ground ball to left fielder Billy Burns. With Tyler Heineman batting, Yadiel Rivera steals (1) 2nd base. Tyler Heineman walks. Pitching Change: Mark Peterson replaces Andrew Edwards. Kyle Wren singles on a ground ball to center fielder Bubba Starling. Yadiel Rivera scores. Tyler Heineman to 2nd.

Cordell Powers Sox to Opening Day 2-1 Win Pitching staff combines to two-hit Omaha By Robby Veronesi / Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Photo: Paat Kelly) Colorado Springs Box Score Josh Hader is doing Josh Hader-like things. Thursday night, he kicked off the 2017 season by throwing one hit ball over five innings. He struck out six and didn’t surrender any runs, however he did walk five batters. As we said, a very Josh Hader-like game. David Goforth threw two scoreless innings and Rob Scahill got out of a bases loaded jam and retired the last four batters in order to get the save. Amongst the hitters, Ryan Cordell (2-4) continued his hot spring with two hits, including a home run and a double. He drove in both Sky Sox runs. Lewis Brinson (1-2 with a walk) was pulled after injuring his hand sliding into 2B. Early reports are that he jammed or dislocated a finger. Sky Sox hitters managed eight hits, but only one walk as they struck out 11 times. Colorado Springs Game Log Omaha threatened in the top of the 8th when the Sky Sox committed two errors and Damien Magnifico surrender a hit and a walk. However, Omaha could manage only a single run when Rob Scahill got Jorge Bonifacio to ground into a force out with the bases loaded. Omaha Top of the 8th Pitching Change: Damien Magnifico replaces David Goforth. Cam Gallagher reaches on a throwing error by third baseman Ivan De Jesus Jr. Cam Gallagher to 2nd. Corey Toups strikes out swinging. Billy Burns walks. Ramon Torres singles on a fly ball to left fielder Ryan Cordell. Cam Gallagher to 3rd. Billy Burns to 2nd. Whit Merrifield reaches on a force attempt, fielding error by second baseman Eric Sogard. Cam Gallagher scores. Billy Burns to 3rd. Ramon Torres to 2nd. Peter O'Brien strikes out swinging. Pitching Change: Rob Scahill replaces Damien Magnifico. Jorge Bonifacio grounds into a force out, shortstop Yadiel Rivera to second baseman Eric Sogard. Whit Merrifield out at 2nd.

Trevor Morrison with the Golden Sombrero. Well done.

Link report is back. All is good.

Dillard is only a prospect for the future broadcaster poll. Auggie is my #1 He does have a good break-a-ball.

Dillard is only a prospect for the future broadcaster poll.

Franklin has had some pretty big splits - especially with his power. As a leftie, he has hit 21 HR in 525 ABs in his career. As a right-hander he's hit 1 HR in 200 ABs. His BA is .225 as a leftie, .205 as a righty. Not too different - but again, the power is really missing as a right-handed hitter. As for his defense - he stunk last year but the majority of his work was in the OF - a position he had barely played before. So I'm not going to really worry too much about his over defensive ratings from 2016. Still, the numbers haven't been good to him as fielder. But in his defense, he's been jerked around a bit, and he's had some injury issues over the years. Last year he put some decent numbers (although less than 200 ABs). He was a first round pick, and has put up some solid minor league numbers - but nothing astounding. Perhaps something has clicked for him. Who knows. I think a big thing is if he can play SS adequately. I haven't seen Franklin play, so maybe the team sees someone who can be a decent utility guy. I guess we'll just have to find out. I'm good with that. Now's the time to give players chances - like Perez last year.