MassBrew

Nashville Sounds Baseball Belmont Bruins at Nashville Sounds Apr 05, 2005 at Nashville, Tenn. (Greer Stadium) Belmont Bruins 4 Nashville Sounds 9 Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI --------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- DOBNER, Brad ss............ 4 0 2 0 Krynzel, Dave cf........... 4 2 2 0 PETSCH, Ben lf/c........... 3 0 0 0 Weeks, Rickie 2b........... 3 2 0 0 LAUTMAN, Aaron 2b......... 1 0 0 0 Fielder, Prince 1b......... 4 2 0 0 TUCKER, Wilson rf.......... 2 1 0 0 Hart, Corey rf/dh.......... 3 1 1 2 SIMMONS, Kane cf/ph....... 1 0 0 0 Erickson, Matt dh/3b....... 3 0 1 1 OWEN, Barrett ph/dh....... 1 0 0 0 Nelson, Brad lf............ 4 1 1 3 GOMEZ, Dennis 1b/p......... 3 0 0 0 Durrington, Trent 3b/c..... 3 1 2 1 GROOMS, Sam dh/1b.......... 4 0 1 0 Borders, Pat c/dh.......... 0 0 0 0 LANGLOIS, Wes ph.......... 1 0 0 0 Knox, Ryan dh/rf.......... 3 0 0 1 PETERSON, Clay 2b/lf....... 3 1 0 0 Scarborough, Steve ss...... 4 0 0 0 CAMP, Jon 3b/p............. 2 1 0 0 Pratt, Andy p.............. 0 0 0 0 WARNAT, Matt 3b........... 1 0 0 0 Helling, Rick p........... 0 0 0 0 PAETZNICK, Brandon c/p..... 2 0 1 0 Davis, Kane p............. 0 0 0 0 MANIFOLD, Brady c......... 1 1 1 1 Bennett, Jeff p........... 0 0 0 0 PETTUS, Jay cf/rf.......... 3 0 0 1 MOFFITT, Josh p............ 0 0 0 0 MARLOW, Chris p........... 0 0 0 0 McGOWAN, Andy p........... 0 0 0 0 DIAZ, Eric p.............. 0 0 0 0 Totals..................... 32 4 5 2 Totals..................... 31 9 7 8 Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- Belmont Bruins...... 000 100 300 - 4 5 4 Nashville Sounds.... 003 040 02X - 9 7 2 ------------------------------------------- E - DOBNER 2; PETERSON; WARNAT; Erickson, M; Durrington,. LOB - Belmont 4; Nashville 11. 2B - DOBNER; Hart, C. HBP - TUCKER; CAMP; Weeks, R; Nelson, B; Durrington,. SF - Durrington,; Knox, R. SB - Krynzel, D; Durrington,. CS - PAETZNICK; Nelson, B. Belmont Bruins IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOFFITT, Josh ............. 2.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 8 9 3 1 MARLOW, Chris L........... 0.1 0 3 3 3 0 0 0 2 0 1 6 0 1 McGOWAN, Andy ............. 1.2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 1 3 CAMP, Jon ................. 1.0 4 4 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 8 9 2 1 PAETZNICK, Brandon ........ 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 0 DIAZ, Eric ................ 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 4 1 1 GOMEZ, Dennis ............. 1.0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 4 8 2 1 Nashville Sounds IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pratt, Andy W............. 5.0 2 1 1 0 7 3 0 2 0 16 18 4 3 Helling, Rick ............. 2.0 3 3 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 10 11 0 4 Davis, Kane ............... 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 1 Bennett, Jeff ............. 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 2 1 WP - CAMP; Pratt, A 3. HBP - by Pratt, A (CAMP); by MARLOW (Weeks, R); by MARLOW (Durrington,); by Pratt, A (TUCKER); by GOMEZ (Nelson, B). Strikeouts - DOBNER; PETSCH; OWEN, B; GOMEZ 2; GROOMS 2; LANGLOIS; PETERSON; WARNAT; PETTUS; Fielder, P 2; Erickson, M; Nelson, B; Knox, R. Walks - PETERSON; Krynzel, D; Weeks, R; Fielder, P; Hart, C 2; Erickson, M 2; Knox, R. Umpires - HP: Chuck Pack 1B: David Grooms Start: 6:03 pm Time: 2:21 Attendance: 451

We know of three Brewer farmhands who have been released, two before ever playing in an official game for the organization; my comments from earlier this week are italicized: RHP Juan Cerros, 28; minor league Rule 5 pick from the Reds Juan Cerros Brewerfan Player Profile Page: www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=749 C Kelley Gulledge, 26; former Twin farmhand with some interesting potential Pretty surprising, here's Bill Batterman's write-up on Gulledge from this off-season: www.brewerfan.net/ViewDai...portId=338 Kelley Gulledge Brewerfan Player Profile Page: www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=739 OF Mario Mendez, 23; Dominican product with 15 HR's in High Desert last season Six years in the system for Mario... Mario Mendez Brewerfan Player Profile Page: www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=173 Mendez peaked at # 35 on the Power 50: www.brewerfan.net/ViewPow...ayerId=173 As for C Alberto Segura: C Alberto Segura, 21, # 46 on the Power 50, was protected at the AA level for Rule 5 (The news apparently is odd on Segura, who was not in camp this spring -- some bizarre visa-related stuff, hopefully he's back on the radar soon.) Segura will never play pro baseball again, apparently. He ruined his visa status by staying after it had expired. We believe he may still be "in hiding" in the States, although that last part's unconfirmed. Alberto Segura Brewerfan Player Profile Page: www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=161 Not quite sure if Segura has been officially released or is on some type of restricted list -- regardless, he's done.

Link while active, text follows: sports.mainetoday.com/pro...gers.shtml Rogers takes another step up, bringing him closer to home By PAUL BETIT, Portland (Maine) Press Herald Writer After spending most of his first nine months as a professional baseball player out West, Mark Rogers is bringing his 95 mph fastball back East. Since he signed for a reported $2.2 million after the Milwaukee Brewers made him the fifth pick in last June's amateur draft, Rogers has done all of his pitching in Arizona. Now, he's heading a bit closer to home. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Rogers is scheduled to start for the West Virginia Power against the Hagerstown Suns in a Class A South Atlantic League season opener in Maryland. "We're so darn excited, we're going to drive down to Maryland to watch his first start," said Stephanie Rogers, Mark's mother. Rogers, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher from Orrs Island, could see a lot more of his family and friends during his second season of professional baseball. "Obviously, I'm excited about being on the East Coast," said Rogers. "My family will be able to come see more of my games, and I feel I've got an upper hand because I'm used to the weather (in the East)." Last summer, Rogers played in the Arizona Rookie League, where he was named that league's top pitching prospect by Baseball America. Last fall, he spent six weeks playing in the Arizona Instructional League, an assignment reserved for the Brewers' top 25 minor-league prospects. After Christmas, Rogers spent six weeks at a training camp for pitchers in Newport Beach, Calif. One of the eight other campers was Barry Zito, the left-handed ace of the Oakland A's. "(The camp) got me out of the Maine weather and got me outside to work out and get my arm in shape," Rogers said. Earlier this month, Baseball America listed Rogers, who graduated from Mt. Ararat High School last June, as the 55th best prospect in its annual list of the top 100 prospects. "All the stuff is there" said Jim Rooney, Milwaukee's minor-league pitching coordinator. "Now it's a question of fine-tuning and learning how a major-league pitcher performs. He's at the start of that process, and I don't foresee any problems with him finishing that process successfully." In 15 innings during spring training, Rogers allowed two earned runs. Last Thursday, he didn't allow a hit and struck out five while pitching three innings against an Oakland minor-league team. "His last two or three times out, he was up to 60-65 pitches, so he's all set and ready to go," Rooney said. The youngest player on the Power, Rogers, 19, has been assigned to a team one rung higher on the minor-league ladder than is usual for a player of his age. "We have two rookie ballclubs," said Rooney, "and a lot of our first-year college players go to Helena (in the Pioneer League)." Despite his youth, Rogers was named West Virginia's starting pitcher in its opener. "It will be a great opportunity to pitch in a meaningful game in front of a big crowd, which is something I haven't experienced yet," Rogers said. "We didn't get crowds in Arizona, I tell you that much." Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 725-8795 or at: pbetit@pressherald.com

Very cool graphic, awesome, really: dailymail.com/display_pho...?iid=15137

Link while active, text follows: dailymail.com/news/Sports/2005040626/ Power's battery keeps going Matt Lockhart Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter What are the odds? That's what Oklahoma natives Josh Wahpepah and Clay Blevins wonder. After all, how many other minor league baseball players can make this claim: "He has been catching me since my sophomore year of high school, all through junior college and now in the second year of pro ball," West Virginia Power pitcher Josh Wahpepah said of roommate and Shawnee, Okla., neighbor Clay Blevins. "We live like a quarter-mile apart." If eager, athletic-minded fathers could bottle the fountain water at Dale High School, they would -- considering the school only has 160 students in grades 10-12. "That's a pretty crazy deal," said Wahpepah (pronounced WAH-pi-pa). "I don't know when I'm going to have to play with somebody else, because I've been playing with him for six or seven years now." That "when" nearly came during their junior season at Dale High school. "I was sliding into a home head-first," Blevins said, "and I caught the catcher." The impact broke Blevins' C-6 and C-7 vertebrae. "Usually when you hear broken neck, you think about not walking or death," Blevins said. "I was frightened to death." He recovered. The neck healed ... and the Oklahoma duo ended its high school careers on high notes. "We won state a few times," Wahpepah said, grinning ear-to-ear on the Appalachian Power Park field. That's five titles to be exact -- since Oklahoma schools have fall and spring seasons. Blevins and Wahpepah expected to go different routes after high school. Blevins went straight to Cowley County (Kan.) Community College because Division I schools "weren't offering much money at the time." Wahpepah had the University of Arkansas on his mind, but the Razorbacks weren't ready to open the doors so soon to a small-town kid. "The coach at Arkansas thought it would be best if I went to a junior college or something, because I was from a small school," said Wahpepah, who went 11-0 with a 0.48 earned run average his senior year. So, he went to Cowley County with Blevins, the same school that produced Major Leaguers Junior Spivey and Travis Hafner. It didn't take long for Wahpepah to get noticed. The Detroit Tigers selected him in the 18th round of the 2003 draft after just one year. "I really didn't know if I was ready to go out into professional baseball yet," the 20-year-old said. He stayed in Kansas. An 11-1 record in 2004, Junior College All-American honors and a third-round selection from the Brewers changed the 6-foot-5, 195-pound right-hander's mind, quicker than his mid-90s fastball can hit the mitt. After signing with the Brewers, Wahpepah went to Helena of the (rookie) Pioneer League, where he was 4-2 with a 4.40 ERA in 47 innings. Wahpepah will work in Thursday's Power opener in Hagerstown, Md., after starter Mark Rogers reaches his 80-pitch limit. "He was masterful in spring training," Power pitching coach John Curtis said. "I was going to suggest he open up in Milwaukee. He has what I call a very loud delivery. It's a lot of arms and elbows and legs. We've tried to confine the movement, but he has great control of three pitches." Blevins -- a 46th-round pick -- has control of Wahpepah's pitches. He just might not get as many chances to be on the receiving end of them as in years past. "When we first got up to Helena I caught him a lot," said Blevins, who batted .243 in his first professional season. "Right now I'm at the No. 3 catcher. "They don't stick us together just because we've been together so long." Then again, something had to break apart the high school, college and pro teammates who share a Charleston apartment 1,053 miles from home. "We are actually not rooming on the road this year," Wahpepah said. "We're going to split it up a little bit."

Link while active, text follows: dailymail.com/news/Jack+B...k-20050406 Brewers serious about success of West Virginia baseball Jack Bogaczyk Charleston Daily Mail Sports Editor The West Virginia Power got its first look at the new East End ballpark on Tuesday. Both remain works in progress. As the South Atlantic League baseball season opens Thursday, the Power flips the switch at Hagerstown with a manager with less than four months in the Milwaukee organization and a pitching coach who three weeks ago expected to be staying in extended spring training. That said, West Virginia Manager Ramon Aviles and pitching coach John Curtis have bossed in the bushes before. Their resumes speak of the Majors, but they know low Class A life, too. With the number of casual baseball fans in the capital city destined to mushroom significantly thanks to the opening of Appalachian Power Park, the Power probably doesn't have to win at the strong 84-56 level of the Alley Cats' swansong last summer. After all, curiosity about "The APP" will bring out a goodly number of fans. The Power already has sold about 135,000 seats. An affiliation change isn't likely to impact turnstile spinning this season. However, as Charleston baseball plays with its fourth different parent organization since 1998 (Reds, Royals, Blue Jays, Brewers), the question is whether the move to Bud Selig's former club is timely. The Power will be younger than the recent Alley Cats. Toronto's philosophy was to draft college players. Milwaukee's recent pickings have been a mixture. The Brewers' top 10 picks last June included five high schoolers and two junior college products. Aviles said the Power will run. The Alley Cats couldn't, and didn't. West Virginia will hit more homers than Charleston did in the old Cat house, but that's as much a function of the shrunken fence distances from Watt Powell Park to The APP. "A lot of what you see here," Aviles said at the new yard Tuesday, "will depend on our pitchers' location. If we get the ball down, this place is fair. If we get it up, you're going to see a lot of homers and doubles." Milwaukee is serious about success in West Virginia. It has sent its top four picks of last summer's draft, all right-handed pitchers, to the Power. The four received a combined $3.64 million in bonus bucks to sign. The Brewers haven't won at the big league level since 1992, a second-place finish in the American League East, but playing with prospects is different. The Power is the former Beloit Snappers, who had back-to-back winning Midwest League seasons (2003 and '04) after seven years of mostly struggle. The switch to the Milwaukee system by West Virginia Baseball LLC wasn't as much about a desire for change -- new owners, new park, new attitude, new parent -- as it was the best available option. Toronto brass wanted a commitment on a four-year player development renewal last July. The first-year owners and operators of the Cats weren't ready to sign then. The relationship, despite a very good team and a first-half division title, soured. The Yankees and Red Sox needed new low Class A homes, but common ownerships and friendships at two South Carolina SAL cities had them headed there. The Cardinals headed to Quad Cities, within their Midwest regional sphere. Texas and San Francisco wanted to come here, but Cardinals General Manager Walt Jocketty, the man who built the defending National League champions, suggested to local management that the Brewers were the best available option. It's a two-year deal, and it's with an organization led by a braintrust -- guided by General Manager Doug Melvin and Player Development boss Reid Nichols -- that did the Rangers' farm construction in the building days of Juan Gonzalez and Pudge Rodriguez. The 67th season of pro baseball in Charleston since 1910 will be interesting for more reasons than a diamond still in the rough on the edge of downtown. At Watt Powell Park, the brewers always played big on Two for Tuesdays. The Brewers have six other days to prove they can provide Power, too.

Link while active, text follows: www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...660271.xml Eveland enjoys majors moment Stars' opening day starter gets treat with Brewers By PAUL GATTIS Huntsville Times Sports Staff pgattis@htimes.com He was the picture of cool, a retro Sean Connery in baseball spikes. Sitting there in the bullpen at Milwaukee's Miller Park last Friday night, 21-year-old Dana Eveland couldn't love life any more than at that moment. "It was unbelievable," said Eveland, far away from that moment Tuesday during a workout with the Huntsville Stars at Joe Davis Stadium. "I was in awe the entire time." Nope, nothing sweeter to a baseball player than the major leagues - even when you're a top prospect and it's just a couple of preseason exhibition games to which top prospects are invited to soak up some atmosphere and fan that flame of desire. "We stayed at the nicest hotel and they take care of you," Eveland said. "They feed you the best food, fans are everywhere. I'm nobody compared to those guys up there and I'm signing autographs and I'm like, 'How do these people know who I am?' " Hint to Dana: www.brewerfan.net http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif -- MassBrew Ah, yes, this was better than a favorite-foods buffet without concern for your waistline or your calories. And then, in the sixth inning, the phone rang. Gulp! Some voice in the dugout on the other end of the line said something like, "Get Eveland up." And Eveland thought he was going to throw up. "All of a sudden, I start getting a little jittery," Eveland said. "My knees start getting wobbly. I'm trying to warm up in the bullpen and my knees are shaking so bad I can barely throw." To the eternal gratitude of Eveland's knees, he never got the call to go into the game. And those bruises on the insides of Eveland's knees have presumably healed well enough that he will be the Stars' opening night pitcher Thursday when the 2005 season begins in Zebulon, N.C., against the Carolina Mudcats. It no doubt will be a far more relaxing evening, too, in the dimmer lights of Double-A baseball. But not a permanent removal from the bright lights of the big leagues. "He's very high on the list in Milwaukee," said Don Money, a former all-star with the Brewers who is in his first season as the Stars' manager. "Knock on wood, if he gets off to a good start, I wouldn't be surprised if they move him out. I know the big team is looking for left-handers." Said Stars pitching coach Rich Sauveur, "There's no doubt in my mind, he'll pitch in the major leagues one day." All the evidence certainly points that way. In two pro seasons, Eveland is 11-9 with a microscopic ERA of 2.64. In 167 innings pitched, he has 174 strikeouts with just 36 walks. He's a big shouldered left-hander, standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 220 pounds with an arsenal of four pitches - fastball, curve, slider and a maturing change-up. He hit 96 mph on the radar gun during spring training but will more consistently throw his fastball in the 89-92 mph range. "He's a smart kid with a lot of talent and he's got a good head on his shoulders," Sauveur said. "That's what it takes to be a major league pitcher. "The way things are going right now, he's got the talent. I think he just needs experience." That's why Eveland is in Huntsville, to get that experience that may someday guide him to become the cornerstone of a winner in Milwaukee. But without the knocking knees. "I had a blast," Eveland said of his weekend in Milwaukee. "(All-star) Ben Sheets took care of me, (pitcher) Doug Davis took me out. Those guys were awesome." Awesome enough for Eveland to face down the jitters of his first knee-knocking visit to the major leagues. "It's a long shot," Eveland said of his goal for the season, "but I'd really like to have a shot - just to get up there to the big leagues and get a little taste of it."

A ground-level view from behind home plate at Appalachian Power Park, which debuts in just eight days. Photographer: M.K. McFarland, Charleston Gazette http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/Appy3.jpg

Link while active, text follows: www.wvgazette.com/section...2005040550 Speed trap on the mound Hard-throwing Rogers will have tight pitch limit By Mike Whiteford Charleston Gazette Staff writer Among the newfangled innovations at Appalachian Power Park is a small scoreboard-like structure that sits atop the left-center wall. It flashes the speed of each pitch in miles per hour and thus will serve as an educational device for fans with an eye for South Atlantic League fireballers. The device will be especially useful when Power right-hander Mark Rogers takes the mound. Rogers, a first-round selection in last summer?s amateur draft, delivers a fastball that should consistently register in the mid-90s and has demonstrated enough potential to earn a $2.2 million signing bonus. Of course, if the speed of his impressive pitches is flashed on a scoreboard over his right shoulder, he might be tempted to take a peek. Rogers says he?ll resist that temptation. ?If I?m getting batters out,?? he said Tuesday, standing on the lush outfield grass at Appalachian Power Park, ?I don?t care if it?s going 81 or 98.?? When the Power opens its season at Hagerstown Thursday, the 19-year-old Maine native will start but will be strictly limited in his number of pitches. The Power?s parent organization, the Milwaukee Brewers, takes a cautious approach to young arms and will not allow Rogers to go more than 80 pitches. If he makes 25 appearances this season, he will accumulate scarcely more than 100 innings. Even if he looks brilliant in the early innings, he will depart upon reaching 80 or so pitches. ?What?s going to be important for the fans to understand,?? said Power pitching coach John Curtis, ?is that Mark Rogers may go out and pitch four shutout innings, blow the opposition away and the next inning he?s not going to be out there. And people will say, ?What are you doing that for?? ?? In Thursday?s opener at Hagerstown, Curtis and manager Ramon Aviles already have chosen Josh Wahpepah, an Oklahoma native who was taken in the third round of last year?s draft, to relieve Rogers. They will limit Wahpepah to about 40 pitches. The Power, in fact, plans to use eight starting pitchers and will designate two pitchers for the Nos. 1, 3 and 5 spots in the five-day rotation. As a general rule, the younger the pitcher, the more cautious the approach. ?We have to do everything we can to protect them from injury,?? said Aviles. Curtis, who worked 15 seasons as a major-league pitcher, admits it?s always a gamble to draft a high school pitcher in the first round but says Rogers is exceptional. ?He?s not quite Nolan Ryan, but he approaches Ryan,?? said Curtis. ?You?re going to see a major-league fastball and pretty darn good control with his curve and changeup.?? Rogers signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Miami and considered Arizona and Stanford, but the Brewers? $2.2 million offer and the immediate chance to start his professional career were too much to pass up. After signing in June, he struck out 35 in 26 2/3 innings in rookie ball but allowed 30 hits and 14 walks and posted a 4.73 earned run average. He spent part of his off-season in Instructional League. ?If I?m throwing well,?? said Rogers, ?I?m keeping the ball down in the zone and varying my pitches and getting ground balls and not walking people.?? POWER POINTS: After meeting with a large media contingent Tuesday afternoon at Appalachian Power Park, the team switched to Watt Powell Park for a workout. Construction work at the new park would have interfered with a workout there. ... The Power will open at home Thursday April 14. ... Curtis and Aviles both played at Watt Powell Park in the 1970s. Curtis was a minor-league teammate of Carlton Fisk at Louisville in 1970 and in 1971 surrendered a long home run to Charleston Charlies slugger Richie Zisk. He also remembers the team staying in the old Daniel Boone Hotel. ?I remember the lunch crowd, sitting at our hotel and watching everybody hit the streets,?? he said. ... Aviles, an infielder who spent four seasons in the majors, played for Pawtucket from 1975 through 1977 and played for manager Joe Morgan, a former Charlies manager. Photographer: M.K. McFarland Mark Rogers: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/appy1.jpg

We'll be copying and pasting from David Weiser's incredible little Huntsville site all season. For today, a link to introduce our newcomers: www.starsboxscore.com/

Link while active, text follows: www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1487 Sounds Defeat Belmont, 9-4, In Exhibition Opener The Nashville Sounds picked up a victory in their 2005 Greer Stadium opener on Tuesday evening, defeating the Belmont Bruins, 9-4, in the teams? annual exhibition contest. Nashville starter Andy Pratt picked up the victory after allowing one run and striking out seven in five innings of work. Leftfielder Brad Nelson drove in three runs and catcher Trent Durrington went 2-for-3 to lead the Sounds offense. The Nashville bullpen did not allow an earned run over four innings. The Sounds broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the bottom of the third inning off Belmont right-hander Chris Marlow. Nashville scored the first two runs without the benefit of a hit. After Dave Krynzel and Prince Fielder drew walks sandwiched around Marlow hitting Rickie Weeks with a pitch, six-foot-six rightfielder Corey Hart drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Krynzel with the contest?s first run. Nashville added a pair of runs one batter later on a Nelson infield groundout coupled with a throwing error by Bruins shortstop Brad Dobner. The Bruins scratched across a run in the top of the fourth. With one down, Wilson Tucker was hit by a Pratt pitch, moved to second on a Sam Grooms single, then advanced the final two bases on consecutive Pratt wild pitches to make it a 3-1 game. Nashville broke open the game with a four-run bottom of the fifth to extend the lead to 7-1. Fielder led opened the frame by reaching on an error by Belmont second baseman Matt Warnat before three consecutive hits: a Hart RBI double, a Nelson RBI single, and a Durrington single. Belmont closed to within 7-4 with three unearned runs in the seventh against veteran right-hander Rick Helling, and the Sounds wrapped up the night?s scoring with two in the eighth. The Sounds partake in their final preseason workout Wednesday afternoon at Greer Stadium before opening the 2005 Pacific Coast League season on Thursday evening with a 7 p.m. contest against the New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA-Nationals). Right-hander Jose Capellan, who finished 9th among all minor league hurlers with a 2.32 ERA in 24 games in the Braves organization last season, gets the Opening Day start for Nashville and will face New Orleans right-hander Sun Woo Kim.

New look for the Manatees site coming soon -- again, expect multiple tie-ins to the new milb.com site: www.manateesbaseball.com/ To remind everybody who's commented on the Manatees situation thus far, a reminder that the Florida State League is extremely laid-back in terms of attendance and media coverage. Very minimal webcasting, and I'm not holding out much hope for newspaper coverage anywhere near approaching High Desert's, which, like Huntsville's, spoiled us rotten. If you're a friend or family member of a Manatee this year, stick with us -- we'll find what we can, but don't set your standards high. The FSL has had its season high-point already -- it's called spring training.

Huntsville's site reveals their roster in a similar format to that of Nashville's site, so this is part of the minorleaguebaseball.com umbrella of ways of displaying the data in a similar fashion across all (or at least most) team sites: www.huntsvillestars.com/c...layers.asp

so where are two of the OBP boys, Festa and Rasheed? See various updates at the end of the current transaction thread: p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...2803.topic

Link while active, text follows: www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...005040521/ Team's middle infielders pack plenty of offensive firepower Matt Lockhart Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter They have big league dreams, but for now Venezuela-born middle infielders Hernan Iribarren and Alcides Escobar will be turning double plays in Charleston. Iribarren is the top offensive prospect for the West Virginia Power, a low Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Baseball America ranks him as the Brewer's ninth best minor leaguer. His 2004 campaign had much to do with that. The 20-year-old second baseman batted .439 with four homers and 36 RBI en route to Arizona Rookie League Most Valuable Player honors. Iribarren (6-foot-1, 160 pounds) then moved to Class A Beloit and batted .373 in 15 games. Only one second baseman in the Brewers' organization is rated higher than Iribarren -- Rickie Weeks, who is, perhaps, the most coveted second baseman in all of minor league baseball. Iribarren's 18-year-old counterpart in the infield figures to be shortstop Alcides Escobar, a 6-foot-1, 155-pound project from Vargas, Venezuela. Escobar hit .281 and stole 20 bases for Rookie League Helena last season -- his first in professional baseball. He was named the 25th best prospect in the Brewers' farm system by On Deck Baseball Prospectus. The Brewers hope to put some weight on this youngster. Ten of the Power's 25 players are ranked as top 40 prospects by On Deck Baseball Prospectus, including five position players -- No. 9 Iribarren, No. 25 Escobar, No. 29 Grant Richardson (first baseman), No. 31 Adam Mannon (outfielder) and No. 32 Freddy Parejo (outfielder). Other infielders William Lewis (5-10, 180, Texarkana, Ark., 32nd round 2003) -- In 38 games at low-A Beloit, Lewis hit .328 with five homers and 21 RBI. The 23-year-old from Texas Christian University is in his third season of professional baseball. Lewis, a second baseman, has a career average of .289 in 64 games. Josh Murray (6-2, 180, Lutz, Fla., 2nd round 2002) -- Injuries have hampered this former second round pick's development, evidenced by his .202 batting average in 113 games spanning three minor league seasons. A groin injury prematurely ended his 2003 season and wrist problems hurt his 2004 year. Murray was drafted as a shortstop, but could move to third base. He signed a $825,000 bonus after the draft in 2002, three years after breaking his wrist as a sophomore in high school. Shortly before his junior season he had Tommy John surgery. This stint with the Power is considered to be a crucial year for the 20-year-old, who was the 48th overall player selected in 2002. Grant Richardson (6-1, 210, Richland, Wash., 14th round 2004) -- Richardson, 22, hit so well in Rookie League (.367) that he ended his first professional season at Class A Beloit -- where he batted .223, but drove in 17 runs and had six homers in just 28 games. The first baseman and Washington State product has a cousin -- Kevin Richardson -- in the Texas Rangers' minor league system. In 72 games last season, Richardson smacked 11 homers and drove in 59 runs. Guilder Rodriguez (6-1, 160, Barquisimento, Venezuela, free agent 2001) -- This 21-year-old middle infielder is from the same hometown as Iribarren. In 258 games over four years, Rodriguez is batting .241 with 83 RBI and 55 stolen bases. He has yet to homer. Catchers Clay Blevins (6-1, 190, Shawnee, Okla., 46th round 2003) -- Blevins, 21, went to the same Oklahoma high school and community college (Cowley County) as Power pitcher Josh Wahpepah. He batted .322 with 39 RBI at Cowley County and .243 in Rookie League Helena last year. The left-handed hitting catcher's baseball career was in limbo after he broke his neck sliding into home plate during a 2001 high school game. Carlos Corporan (6-3, 210, Catano, Puerto Rico, 12th round 2003) -- Corporan, 21, turned down a 2001 29th round selection by the Anaheim Angels to attend Lake City Community College. The switch-hitting catcher is in his second year of low-A ball. He hit .228 in Beloit last year. Corporan, who played shortstop in high school, has a brother -- Elvis -- in the Yankees' farm system. Nestor Corredor (6-1, 180, Portugeuesa, Venezuela, free agent 2002) -- Corredor, 20, got a taste of Double-A Huntsville late last season for 20 at-bats as an emergency backstop. In three years of professional baseball -- two in the Dominican Summer League -- Corredor is hitting .211. Outfielders Dallas Bates (5-8, 170, Chandler, Ariz., 27th round 2002) -- Bates, 20, is entering his fourth season with the Brewers. The left-handed centerfielder, who was signed out of high school, is a career .257 hitter in 126 Rookie League games with two home runs and 50 RBI. He hit .280 in 118 at-bats for Helena last season. Adam Mannon (6-3, 200, Queen Creek, Ariz., 17th round 2002) -- Mannon, 21, played high school baseball in Chandler, Ariz., -- the same city Power centerfielder Dallas Bates hails from. In Helena last year, Mannon batted .255 with eight homers and 52 RBI. In two minor league season, the right-handed right fielder is batting .263 with 11 home runs and 89 RBI. He was selected to On Deck Baseball Prospectus' All-Prospect second-team for the Brewers. Freddy Parejo (6-2, 170, La Guaira, Venezuela, free agent 2002) -- Regarded as another one of the Brewers' top outfield prospects, Parejo, 20, batted .275 with 40 RBI and 12 stolen bases last year in the Arizona Rookie League. The left fielder played in the Dominican Summer League in 2003 and batted .280 in 65 games. Jason Tuttle (5-8, 160, Winston Salem, N.C., trade 2005) -- Tuttle, 25, was acquired in a trade with the Washington Nationals. He played collegiately at Elon University. In two years of minor league action, Tuttle has a .300 batting average -- mostly at the Class A level. Pitchers Robert Hinton (RHP, 6-2, 190, Sarasota, Fla., 40th round 2003) -- Hinton was inadvertently left off the Power's first roster release. The 20-year-old signed last year as a "draft and follow" player. He spent the 2004 season in Helena, where he collected a 5.15 ERA in 50.2 innings. Hinton's father, Rich, pitched six seasons in the Major League for six different teams. The Power opens play Thursday at Hagerstown.

So based on the latest, LHP Josh Habel and RHP Jerome Gamble are additions based on the initial report, and RHP Ryan Miller is off the squad -- current status unknown. Closer by committee with both Taubenheim and Slack in Brevard County? Dana Eveland will be starting, right? (We hope...)

Link while active, text follows -- thanks for the brewerfan.net reference, Mark! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...282090.xml Gamble added to Stars' roster By MARK McCARTER Huntsville Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com Though the last weekend of spring training can often be topsy-turvy, with last-minute roster readjustments, the Huntsville Stars hold their first workout this morning at Joe W. Davis Stadium with virtually the same roster that was established late last week. The Stars did have one newcomer - for whom this summer is a bit of a homecoming. Jerome Gamble, a 25-year-old righthander from Alexander City, Alabama, was added to the Stars' pitching staff before the team broke camp Monday in Arizona and flew to Huntsville. Gamble, a fourth-round pick of the Red Sox in 1998, has had a promising career interrupted by elbow problems, including Tommy John surgery in 2001. So impressive was he early in his career, according to brewerfan.net, Red Sox coach Herm Starrette once said, "Shoot, this kid is better than sex.'' He was 4-2 with a 3.94 ERA last season at Double-A Portland. The Stars work out at 9 a.m. today and again Wednesday at 3:30 before traveling to Carolina for the season-opener Thursday. The home opener is April 15. Here's the Stars' opening-day roster: Pitchers: Khalid Ballouli, David Bradley, Matt DeWitt, Dana Eveland, Matt Ford, Jerome Gamble, Josh Habel, Manny Parra, Dennis Sarfate, Mitch Stetter, Glenn Woolard, Alec Zumwalt. Catchers: John Vanden Berg, Jeff Winchester. Infielders: Chris Barnwell, Callix Crabbe, Enrique Cruz, Brandon Gemoll, Vinny Rottino, Tony Zuniga. Outfielders: Kennard Bibbs, Nelson Cruz, Tony Gwynn Jr., Ben Van Iderstine. Staff: Don Money (manager), Rich Sauveur (pitchers), Sandy Guerrero (hitters), David Yeager (trainer).

Link while active, text follows: www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...005040413/ Bringing in the Power Matt Lockhart Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter Go ahead and call it Power pitching. The Milwaukee Brewers aren't messing around here in Charleston, with a first-year team and a new ballpark. The Brewers are sending their top four picks from 2004 -- all pitchers -- to their low Class A affiliate in the South Atlantic League, the West Virginia Power. Topping that list is Baseball America's No. 55 best prospect, Mark Rogers. He is the No. 5 prospect for Milwaukee. Second baseman Hernan Iribarren -- Milwaukee's No. 9 prospect -- also will be joining the Power after winning the Arizona League batting crown (.437) and most valuable player award. He led all Brewers' minor leaguers with a .422 batting average last season between Rookie League and Class A. The next highest average was .307. Rogers headlines a class of Power pitchers the Brewers have high expectations for. The 19-year-old right-hander from Ors Island, Maine, received the fourth highest signing bonus in Milwaukee Brewers' history ($2.2 million) when he was selected fifth overall in the 2004 draft out of high school -- following national prep player of the year honors. Last season in Rookie League, he struck out 35 batters in 26 plus innings and finished with a 4.74 earned run average. His scouting report says the right-hander consistently works between 91 and 92 miles per hour with his fastball, which can glide at times in the mid- to upper-90s. Rogers (6-2, 200) played for his father Craig at Mount Ararat High School where he posted an 8-0 record and a 0.16 ERA with 142 strikeouts and just 10 walks in 56 innings during his senior year. One scout called Rogers one of the best high school pitching prospects he had seen in 15 years. Milwaukee is hoping the No. 1 pick can reach the Majors, because history is not on his side. Of the nine high school pitchers the Brewers have selected since 1969, only one -- Jeff D'Amico -- has played in the big leagues. A look at the other Power pitchers: Josh Baker (RHP, 6-5, 210, Houston, Texas, 4th round 2004) -- Baker is a 23-year-old from Rice University, where he won a national championship and was 17-2 in two seasons. In Helena (Rookie League) last year, he was 1-1 with a 3.66 ERA in 15 games. His brother-in-law is Houston Astro outfielder Lance Berkman. Simon Beresford (RHP, 6-6, 215, Glen Waverly, Australia, 32nd round 2002) -- This 22-year-old reliever spent last season in Class A Beloit, where he pitched in 38 games and had a 4.50 ERA. Beresford, who went to Tyler (Texas) Junior College, is nicknamed "Big Si." Derek DeCarlo (LHP, 6-3, 170, Miami, Fla. 9th round 2003) -- DeCarlo is a 22-year-old Florida International product who started 15 games in Helena last year. In 43 plus innings, DeCarlo posted a 5-3 record and a 6.18 ERA. He was 23-0 in three seasons at Florida International, where he topped at around 93 mph. Yovani Gallardo (RHP, 6-3, 185, Fort Worth, Texas, 2nd round 2004) -- This 19-year-old from Texas' Trimble Tech High School struck out 25 batters in an 11-inning game before being drafted. He split time between Rookie League and Class A last year and posted a 3.71 ERA in eight games. Gallardo signed a letter-of-intent to play with Texas Christian University before the Brewers offered him a $725,000 signing bonus. Scouts have applauded this starting pitcher for his command, evidenced by his four walks in 26 plus innings last year. His draft scouting report said he is a future 15-20 game winner in the Major Leagues. Robert Hinton (RHP, 6-2, 190, Sarasota, Fla., 40th round 2003) ? The 20-year-old signed last year as a ?draft and follow? player. He spent the 2004 season in Helena, where he collected a 5.15 ERA in 50.2 innings. Hinton?s father Rich pitched six seasons in the Major League for six different teams. Greg Kloosterman (LHP, 6-3, 205, Bristol, Ind., 9th round 2003) -- Kloosterman saw 15 of his pitches go for home runs last year in Class A Beloit. Now, the 22-year-old is hoping to keep his pitches down in the zone so that doesn't happen as often. In two years of professional baseball, this Bethel College product has a 5.33 ERA in 131 plus innings. Kloosterman was hospitalized for a minor stab wound in August after a late night party -- which resulted in four Brewers' minor league players being suspended for violating curfew. Forrest Martin (RHP, 6-2, 190, Talihina, Okla, free agent 2003) -- Martin, 25, is the second-oldest member of the Power. He has spent the last two seasons between Rookie League and Class A, collecting a 4.67 ERA in 79 innings of work. Brian Montalbo (RHP, 6-4, 210, Anchorage, Alaska, 7th round 2003) -- Montalbo, 23, was the highest player drafted in Alaska history when the Atlanta Braves picked him in the fourth round out of high school. Montalbo instead went to the University of California. He has a 4.28 ERA in 153 plus innings in two minor league seasons. His father Mel played for the Oakland Raiders. Ben Stanczyk (RHP, 6-2, 210, Waukesha, Wis., free agent 2004) -- Stanczyk, 22, is a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee product who pitched 25 plus innings and had a 4.26 ERA between Rookie League and Class A last year. He was Horizon League Player and Pitcher of the year with the Powers. Josh Wahpepah (RHP, 6-5, 195, Shawnee, Okla., 3rd round 2004) -- Wahpepah (pronounced WAH-pi-pa) joined the Brewers out of Cowley County Community College. The tall right-hander uses a deceptive three-quarters arm angle to deliver his fastball that clocked between 92 and 96 while in college, where he struck out 94 batters in 95 innings. In Rookie League last year, Wahpepah was 4-2 with a 4.40 ERA in 47 innings. The 20-year-old was originally drafted out of high school by the Detroit Tigers (18th round in 2003), but decided to pitch in college to improve his draft status. Robbie Wooley (RHP, 6-1, 190, Kokomo, Ind., 6th round 2003) -- Wooley, 20, is regarded as a fierce competitor who was the No. 1 high school prospect in Indiana two years ago. In two Rookie League stints, Wooley has a 3.26 ERA in 85 plus innings. He has given up just six home runs. Wooley was roommates with Power pitcher Derek DeCarlo last year at Helena, where he led the team with a 3.52 ERA and 64 innings of work. Power notes: As of Saturday, 132,178 tickets had been sold for Appalachian Power Park -- including a sellout for the April 14 home opener. That total surpasses the 2004 attendance mark (125,972) for the final year of Watt Powell Park. The Power opens play Thursday at Hagerstown. Coming Tuesday: Updates on the 13 Power position players.

As just posted on the West Virginia Power team thread: Based on that list, you?d think the final roster spot will go to another outfielder ? we should know soon. According to the Charleston Gazette, the remaining outfield roster spot for the Power goes to 24-year-old Jason Tuttle, a LH slap-hitting outfielder acquired in trade from the Washington Nationals. No news on what the trade involved beyond Tuttle. Career numbers on Jason Tuttle: www.thebaseballcube.com/p...ttle.shtml The Gazette also doesn't list RHP Robert Hinton on the roster, but they're a man short on their roster list, so until we hear otherwise, Hinton's aboard. Power players arrive in Charleston today and will take the field 6 p.m. Tuesday for their first practice in the new ballpark. The Sally League season gets underway Thursday with the Power visiting Hagerstown, Md. Opening night at Appalachian Power Park is Thursday, April 14. -- the Gazette

Based on that list, you?d think the final roster spot will go to another outfielder ? we should know soon. According to the Charleston Gazette, the remaining outfield roster spot for the Power goes to 24-year-old Jason Tuttle, a LH slap-hitting outfielder acquired in trade from the Washington Nationals, who ironically played at high-A Brevard County last season. No news on what the trade involved beyond Tuttle. www.wvgazette.com/section...2005040322 Career numbers on Jason Tuttle: www.thebaseballcube.com/p...ttle.shtml The Gazette also doesn't list RHP Robert Hinton on the roster, but they're a man short on their roster list, so until we hear otherwise, Hinton's aboard. Power players arrive in Charleston today and will take the field 6 p.m. Tuesday for their first practice in the new ballpark. The Sally League season gets underway Thursday with the Power visiting Hagerstown, Md. Opening night at Appalachian Power Park is Thursday, April 14. -- the Gazette

We're waiting on any official confirmations on the following players, news such as released, official disabled list stints, etc. -- we'll note news we believe is acurate below if we have updates (italics)... RHP Juan Cerros, 28; minor league Rule 5 pick from the Reds RHP Jeff Farnsworth, 29; minor league free agent signed just before camp RHP Jerome Gamble, # 41 on the Power 50, Red Sox free agent signee with a long injury past LHP Josh Habel, 24; acquired from the Giants for Dave Burba LHP Sam Narron, 23; waiver claim from the Texas Rangers RHP John Novinsky, 26 on April 25th; emerged as Huntsville's closer in 2004 and saw time in the Arizona Fall League; there doesn't seem to be a defined AA closer at the moment (Ryan Miller?) RHP Jason Ryan, 29, former Minnesota Twin, free agent signee back in January RHP Landon Stockman, 25; minor league Rule 5 selection from the Cleveland farm system C Kelley Gulledge, 26; former Twin farmhand with some interesting potential C Kade Johnson, 26; recovering from wrist surgery if he's still officially with the organization; 1999 2nd round pick OF Mario Mendez, 23; Dominican product with 15 HR's in High Desert last season LHP Carlos Ramirez, 20; did not play in 2004 (arm injury) after a stellar rookie ball season in 2003 -- was protected at the AA level for Rule 5, hopefully primed for a return to Helena in June C Alberto Segura, 21, # 46 on the Power 50, was protected at the AA level for Rule 5 (The news apparently is odd on Segura, who was not in camp this spring -- some bizarre visa-related stuff, hopefully he's back on the radar soon.) RHP Eric Thomas, 24; 2002 3rd round pick hasn't pitched in two years; was protected at the AA level for Rule 5; he's not listed in the current media guide RHP Josh Alliston, 25; 2002 21st round pick, another injury-related returnee LHP Eric Henderson, 25; 2000 4th round pick struggled at High Desert in 2004; saw action as an OF/DH as well RHP Greg Moreira, 2001 10th round pick showed some promise at Beloit in 2004 (apparently still in camp, and we're not aware of an injury concern at this time) RHP Joel Needham, 23; last year's 32nd round pick out of UC-Davis finished up at High Desert to help cover for injuries on that squad OF Jake Serfass, 23; non-drafted University of West Virginia kid who was an emergency call-up to High Desert to end 2004 IF Wandel Campana, 26; mid-season independent league signee saw action with Beloit RHP Justin Barnes, 22; he of the 67-to-14 K/BB ratio in 57 IP last season with Helena / Beloit (apprently still in extended spring training -- no news of an injury at this time) LHP Edwin Walker, 21; more arm problems for the former Tommy John surgery patient OF Charlie Fermaint, 19; some type of injury concern at the moment 3B Tony Festa, 24; hand injury of some sort OF Hasan Rasheed, 21; some sort of injury has him off the West Virginia squad for now LHP Jared Theodorakos, 24; not in camp at moment with permission, apparently a non-baseball related issue And of course, this update does not include players likely to debut at the rookie ball level in 2005. Keeping these pending players in mind, we believe the Brewerfan Player Index Page is as accurate as possible at this moment.

Apparently Terry Trofholz, the 24-year-old 2003 22nd round outfielder out of TCU, has hung up his spikes after two productive seasons with Helena and Beloit. I speculated earlier that Chris Morris' release may have opened a AA spot for Terry, not the case. Good luck to him in his post-Brewer career. Terry Trofholz Brewerfan Player Index Page: www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=556

Position Players: C - Winchester, Vanden Berg (as noted in previous post) 1B / OF - Brandon Gemoll, 24; 2001 8th rounder 2B Callix Crabbe, 22; more walks than K's in 1255 pro AB's; in most organizations, he's the top second base prospect SS - Enrique Cruz, 23; word is he was outplayed by Brevard County's Ozzie Chavez in spring training 3B - Tony Zuniga, 30; .370 in Mexico in 2004 IF - Chris Barnwell, 26; won't likely see 484 AB's with the Stars, as he did in 2004 -- primarily middle infield backup this season Super Utility - Vinny Rottino, 25 on April 7th; perhaps to catch every other game, otherwise 1B or 3B or anywhere; organization's 2004 Minor League Player of the Year with 124 RBI at Beloit OF Nelson Cruz, 24; 40-man roster newcomer hopefully due to impress in the Southern league OF Tony Gwynn, Jr., 22 - should be able to really improve on 2004's numbers OF Kennard Bibbs, 25; 115 SB's in 162 career attempts -- somehow didn't think he was 25 quite yet... OF Ben Van Iderstine, 27; Canadian import from independent ball -- too bad there aren't more DH at-bat's available in the Southern League, sweet bat could make for a Rushford-type story

Stars' Sarfate moves from thrower to pitcher Right-hander is expected to be a key starter By MARK McCARTER Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com This is one in a series about the 2005 Huntsville Stars, position-by-position. Today: Pitchers and catchers MARYVALE, Ariz. - Dennis Sarfate was having dinner with his girlfriend Jada recently, piled into a booth at an Outback Steakhouse. He was talking about his pitching path, and realized he had somewhere along the line stumbled into one of those "Eureka!'' moments. "I just said, 'Something is so different from last year,''' Sarfate related. It took him a little bit to realize what had happened. Sarfate had just hit what amounts to puberty in a pitcher's life. He had gone from being a thrower to a pitcher. He had reached that epiphany, to realize the mind is nearly as important as the arm. "Last year, I just kinda went out there and if I threw good, I threw good. I was pretty much throwing as hard as I could,'' said Sarfate, who finished 7-12 with a 4.05 ERA in 28 appearances. Sarfate, a 6-4 right-hander from nearby Gilbert, Ariz., should be one of the key starters on a staff that seems to have an equal blend of youth and experience. Ditto the catching staff, which includes Jeff Winchester, a 25-year-old minor league free agent formerly with the Colorado Rockies' organization and John Vanden Berg - he'll be the one, as a Wisconsin-Milwaukee product, giggling at Alabama basketball fans - who was at High Desert last season. Utility ace Vinny Rottino can also catch, but carrying three catchers may affect the Brewers' original plans to have Rottino work behind the plate every other day. Several veteran pitchers from the 2004 Stars return, including reliever Ryan Miller and starters Glenn Woolard, Matt Ford and late-season addition Dana Eveland. Miller is coming off elbow surgery but looked sharp in the spring. Ford, who had been with Milwaukee in 2003 after being drafted from Toronto in the Rule 5 draft, struggled to a 2-6 mark while being bothered with elbow pain. Woolard had a phenomenal stretch, once pitching 29 consecutive scoreless innings Manny Parra and Khalid Ballouli, two of the most highly touted prospects, will be joined by David Bradley, Matt Dewitt, Mitch Stetter and Alec Zumwalt, led by pitching coach Rich Sauveur. Sarfate's previous pitching coach here in the Brewers' camp, major league coach Mike Maddux, played a key role in this evolution. Sarfate had a curve ball last summer, but it hardly brought to mind the adjective "devastating.'' "I couldn't ever get a feel for it,'' he said. So Maddux taught him a slider. Delivered with almost the same velocity as his fastball, it should be even more effective against hitters who don't adjust quickly enough to the sharp, down-breaking movement. "I've been able to throw it for strikes so far,'' he said. "Pretty much everything goes off my fastball and I'm a little more around the zone. I struggled last year with my fastball, with a lot of walks (78 in 129 innings). I didn't trust my stuff.'' He has also has gained confidence in his changeup, something that was lacking a year ago. "Maddux taught me about pitching from a foundation,'' Sarfate said. "It just clicked in. I'm looking to have a good season now.''

Pitching staff -- eleven names here, it's possible we're missing one, although the AA roster limit is 24 to start the season, then drops to 23 RHP Dennis Sarfate, 24 on April 9th, the 40-man roster power righty looks to refine his game in AA, more on Dennis after this post LHP Manny Parra, 22; simply put, the key pitching farmhand in the organization -- health in 2005 is a must RHP Glenn Woolard, 24 on April 18th; apparently, 2004's Huntsville scoreless streak of 29 innings and WHIP of 1.17 gets you a repeat AA assignment -- still amazed no one plucked Glenn in the Rule 5 LHP Dana Eveland, just 21; darn, this Huntsville rotation is going to be much stronger than some of us imagined LHP Matt Ford, 24 on April 8th; Ford can't be walking 49 and striking out 47 in 91.1 IP, like he did in 2004 RHP Khalid Ballouli, 25 years old; 25 of 27 High Desert appearances were starts -- will it be Ford or Khalid in the # 5 spot? LHP Mitch Stetter, 24; being groomed specifically to be a big league lefty specialist LHP Alec Zumwalt, 24, 46 relief appearances (5.09 ERA) in the Southern League in 2004 (Greenville, Braves) RHP Ryan Miller, 27; only six appearances in 2004 before elbow surgery sidelined the 2000 9th rounder RHP David Bradley, 27; Bradley "survived" High Desert in 2004 about as well as anyone RHP Matt DeWitt, 27; big league innings with Toronto and San Diego A position player update will likely be available later tonight...