MassBrew

Beloit Daily News Sports Editor Jim Franz with a nice report from the Beloit stop on the winter tour: www.beloitdailynews.com/104/brew24.htm

Not much to report on soon-to-be 30-year-old middle infielder Luis Figueroa beyond his two career major-league AB's (and by the way, hasn't Steve Scarborough gone from AAA starter to having plenty of competition for bench duty awful quickly?), was that Figueroa did earn an appearance in a Jayson Stark "Useless Information" column this past season: Down in Farm Land, Edmonton third baseman Luis Figueroa deserves some kind of trophy. He became the first man this year to get a hit against A's phenom Rich Harden. Harden retired the first (gulp) 47 hitters he faced this year, and was up to 57 in a row (the equivalent of two straight perfect games, plus an inning) until Figueroa singled to center field against him last Sunday. Naturally, the very next item in that Stark column was this: Your minor-league blown lead of the month: High Desert reliever Aaron Dean came on to pitch April 10 with a 5-1 lead over Modesto. His next five hitters went: walk, walk, walk, walk, grand slam. Yes, what a year it was in the Desert...

Our friend Jamey Newberg in Texas, who puts together his Ranger Prospect Handbook each year, chimed in for us: Before he struggled in 03, I thought we'd really found something in Rivard. I wrote this in my 2003 book: "He's Canadian. Throws right-handed. Stands 6'1", 195. Wasn't drafted. Hooked on with the Rangers. That's essentially where the similarities between Jeff Zimmerman and REGGIE RIVARD end. This is a guy who, after a season at Hancock Junior College, pitched for three years at Washington State, posting ERAs of 7.02, 6.98, and 10.05. He won two games in his Cougar career, losing 10. Scout Greg Whitworth saw something in him, however, and recommended that the Rangers sign him, which Texas did in June of 2000. It's been a fairly bumpy ride for Rivard. He posted a 5.73 ERA in the Gulf Coast Rookie League that first summer, mostly as a starter. The optimist would point out that it was better than any of the Pac-10 seasons he had, but the realists would politely point out that he was pitching against players three and four years younger than him in the GCL, and that the 35 earned runs allowed was tied for the league high and that nobody surrendered as many as his six home runs. The 2001 season was significantly better, as Rivard moved into middle relief for Savannah (low-A South Atlantic League) and was solid, going 5-4, 3.26 in 44 appearances. Promoted to high-A Florida State League Charlotte for the 2002 season, he was suddenly a weapon. Teamed with Chad Hawkins early on in the club's tandem-starter setup, he had his own injury problems but was extremely effective when on the mound. He went 1-0, 1.73 in six April appearances; went 1-0, 2.63 in six May outings before missing 10 days when he needed a callus removed from his foot; pitched just twice in June and July due to a groin strain, giving up a run in three innings (and missing an opportunity to pitch in the Florida State League All-Star Game); and returned late in August, pitching a scoreless inning as he got back into a rhythm before the FSL playoffs. Rivard was on the mound to get the final four outs of the season as Charlotte downed Lakeland, 6-0, to win the league title, capping off a year that was frustrating from the standpoint that he couldn't stay healthy but that still produced a 3-0, 2.17 record in 15 appearances. The league hit just .193 off him, and he walked only 14 batters in 54 innings, featuring a fastball in the low 90s and a big curve. And the man who gave up more jacks than anyone else in the GCL in 2000 was never taken deep in 2002. It's still a huge longshot for Rivard to make it to the big leagues and complete the same path forged by Zimmerman. Hopefully the injuries that dogged Rivard in 2002 won't linger into 2003. They did prevent him from sharing pitching duties with the star reliever in July, when Rivard was sidelined and Zimmerman was in Charlotte making two rehab appearances."

RHP Rhett Rivard is better known as "Reggie", it seems, which may explain why his 2003 numbers were not included in the sports-wired career numbers linked above. His 2003 AA numbers, unfortunately, were a complete turnaround from his 2002 high-A numbers which netted him a spot on the Florida State Leage All-Star team. 2003 at AA Frisco (Texas League), and briefly at AAA Oklahoma: www.baseballamerica.com/c...yer=rivard I imagine he could begin the year in Huntsville, or even down a notch in High Desert. But, as noted, he's a former Ranger prospect, and he's a Canadian, so Dougie had no choice but to sign him http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

Pretty wild that there were actually two infielders named Luis Figueroa on BA's list of six-year minor league free agents for this winter. One played in the Expos' chain in 2003, the other in the Mariners'. The Brewers were kind enough to confirm for us that their Figueroa is Luis R. Figueroa, who played at AAA Edmonton for Montreal in 2003: www.sports-wired.com/play...?Name=ECDF I've deleted the link to the other Luis Figueroa that rpms6 kindly provided in the prior post...

Discussed a bit on the major league forum today, but RHP Matt Wise is another arm for a potentially crowded Indianapolis roster. (Wise has only started in his minor league career. Prior to his elbow injury last spring, he was penciled in as the Angels' fifth starter, apparently.) Matt Wise career numbers: www.sports-wired.com/play...p?Name=CCG Is that a projected AAA rotation of Luis Martinez, Jorge de la Rosa, Ben Hendrickson, Matt Ford, Jason Shelley, and now Matt Wise? Matt Parker and Ben Ford would be deserving candidates as well. Truly the first year that the Indianapolis section of the Link Reports will be of serious interest.

Mark Prior and Dusty Baker were among the honored guests in attendance when RHP Jason Shelley received this award last Sunday. Congrats, Jason! Among greater Chicago's finest, and a nice story among the Brewer "finds" in 2003... www.oursportscentral.com/...p;t_id=969

We'll help the Snappers a bit more by directing more traffic -- so who will be 2004's three Beloit bobblehads? www.snappersbaseball.com/...7099135057

All-you-can-eat nights at Pohlman Field! www.snappersbaseball.com/...ss_id=1237 http://worldwide-web.com/JeffreyBabad/Simpsons/Captain/captain.gif Best Simpson's episode ever -- and yes, we've discussed it in the Off-Topic forum before...

The Brewers' site article on Enrique Cruz: brewers.mlb.com/NASApp/ml...;fext=.jsp More Enrique Cruz from ESPN's Jayson Stark: There's a classic Bill James stat known as Offensive Winning Percentage, which estimates what kind of record a team of nine Joe Carters (or nine of anyone else) would have. Here's the top 10 since division play began in 1969: 1. Barry Bonds .804 2. Frank Thomas .754 3. Mark McGwire .737 4. Manny Ramirez .730 5. Edgar Martinez .726 6. Jason Giambi .725 7. Jim Thome .723 8. Willie Stargell .719 9. Jeff Bagwell .714 10. Mike Piazza .704 One final note on Offensive Winning Percentage, even though it has nothing to do with the Hall of Fame. Lee Sinins reports that Brewers rookie Enrique Cruz just finished a season in which his Offensive Winning Percentage was so small, you need the Hubble Telescope just to see it. It computed to .009, meaning a team of nine Enrique Cruzes would have gone 1-161. Among players who had 75 plate appearances in a season since 1900, only two have had a lower OWP than that, and just one other player has ever equaled it: Jerry Buchek, 1961 Cardinals - .005 Ed Connolly, 1931 Red Sox - .006 Enrique Cruz, 2003 Brewers - .009 Chuck Scrivener, 1977 Tigers - .009

Would the folks in Huntsville look to acquire an affiliation with the apparently available Atlanta Braves for the 2005 season? David Weiser provides perspective at his www.starsboxscore.com website. Despite recent successful AA campaigns and a slew of Brewer "name" prospects about to debut there, there's little doubt the local (and ticket-buying) fan would prefer a Braves affiliation. (And to the many who profess that affiliation issues mean little in the overall scope of things, that may be true -- but not to the many friends and family of the players who visit us here, wondering where their buddies, sons, brothers, etc., might be located...) In addition to clicking on the link in bold above, also be sure to visit David's "stuff" page in which he updates the signing and/or availabilty of all the minor league free agents with Southern League ties, with particular attention paid to current and former Brewers: http://www.starsboxscore.com/standing.html

The Brewers have made some interesting fifth-round draft picks over the years. Some developed into productive major leaguers, at least briefly -- Bill Wegman ('81), Steve Sparks ('87), Pat Listach ('88), Nomar Garciaparra ('91), and Steve Woodard ('94). Current 5th rounders in the system include OF Jason Belcher ('00), RHP Judd Richardson ('01), and last year's pick, high school catcher Bryan Opdyke. One fifth round pick that definitely did not pan out has been released, according to Baseball America. The Brewers signed RHP Dustin Lansford in time for the 2000 season. Lansford was drafted in 1999, and was the only pick among the top 15 that year not to sign that same year. After a season of community college baseball, the Brewers inked him prior to the 2000 draft. Lansford will be 24 this coming April. His Brewer career consisted of 37 IP in Helena in 2000, and 8.1 IP in Beloit in 2001. He was basically AWOL for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Not sure what becomes of that signing bonus, but whether it was suspected off-field issues or otherwise, Lansford's Brewer career is done. Maybe his fellow Baytown, Texas resident and also a 1999 draftee (2nd round), Kade Johnson, knows the real story here. Another player who was placed on the suspended list for 2003 when he did not appear in camp last spring, catcher Arturo Bravo, the 24th round pick out a California high school in 2002, has also been released. Bravo hit .189 in 37 Arizona Rookie at-bats in 2002.

C'mon, I can't understand why the Brewer young'uns aren't up in Helena working on fundamentals at this time... www.helenair.com/articles...704_01.txt

Seeing Helena RHP Simon Beresford's name on the Brewerfan birthday list this week has me posting a link to a story that provides some insight into the Aussie's background. From last May, prior to signing as a draft-and-follow out of the 2002 draft this spring: www.texarkanagazette.com/...orts01.txt

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know how well he has done for the Bruins on the diamond? Page was redshirted for baseball in his freshman year... uclabruins.ocsn.com/sport...rad00.html

It'll be interesting to see how this compares to BA's Top 100 list, which will come from a more diverse and more expert group of minor league reporters. First, a note from the author, Mike Gullo: About the author of this list... I live in northeastern Ohio and earn my living as an electronics technician. I've always been a big baseball fan, however, in the past several years I've developed an intense love of Minor League baseball... even more so than Major League ball. That prompted me to (in August of 2000) start this website (www.theminorsfirst.com) to share my interest with others around the world that also have a passion for the Minors. I guess you could call me a wannabe baseball writer. Only seeing 40ish games a year means I usually only get to see a third of the players on this list tops. The rest of my evaluation comes via listening to netcast games, reading publications, weighing statistics, browsing the other Minor League baseball websites, exchanging e-mails with the many new friends I've made because of this website and even hunches. ...Mike Gullo Seven Brewers among the top 100, with a notation at the bottom about Mike Jones' would-be status as well. As you browse the list, you'll find Weeks at 19, Hardy at 25, Fielder at 27, Hart at 46, de la Rosa at 74, Parra at 80, and Nelson at 83. I've dropped Mike a line from Brewerfan. I'm sure he'll enjoy the several player Q&A interviews available via the home page. www.theminorsfirst.com/tm...2004).html

A guy named Bill Mitchell does a nice job summarizing by organization the Arizona Fall League for the web site TopProspectAlert.com each year. Here's his Brewer notes, along with a link to his divisional recaps. Brewers - The Milwaukee farm system is on the rise, and it showed in the quality of players sent to the AFL. Most notable was Rickie Weeks (2B), one of the top prospects in all of professional baseball. The 2003 #1 draft pick (second overall) didn't disappoint, batting .319/.440/.431 with 12 walks and nine SBs in 72 ABs. His one homerun was a fierce line drive shot; that ability to turn on the ball and his doubles power indicates that the homerun totals should increase in time. The biggest question mark is his defense, as he made eight errors. Weeks may eventually change positions, but for now expect him to move up to the major league level fairly quickly. What's not to like about this guy? ... Ben Hendrickson (P) opened quite a few eyes with one of the AFL's top pitching performances (2.03 ERA, 21-2 K/BB, .229 OBA). The 22-year-old right-hander has one of the best curve balls in the minor leagues. If he keeps pitching this well, don't expect Hendrickson to spend much time in AAA ... Kade Johnson © didn't get much playing time for the AFL Saguaros but he made good use of his 38 ABs, batting .395/.452/.526. Johnson struggled in AA after a strong first half in High Class A, but he was a little old for that level at 24. Next season will be a key year for the former second round choice ... David Krynzel (OF) is becoming an enigma. The left-handed hitting center fielder had a strong first half in AA, then slumped badly in the latter months of the season. He showed the same inconsistency in Arizona, batting .233/.295/.314 in 86 ABs; he was successful in only three of his nine stolen base attempts. The kid's got a lot of talent and a good attitude on and off the field, so something isn't quite right. Krynzel just turned 22, so he's still got time to get it all together ... Brad Nelson (OF) was coming off a lost season after surgery to repair a broken hamate bone robbed the left-handed hitter of his bat speed and power . Nelson batted only .220/.304/.232 with one extra-base hit in 82 ABs, but he shouldn't be judged on these numbers. Wait and see how he does in AA next season ... Tim Bausher (P) pitched effectively out of the Peoria bullpen (1.98 ERA, 14-3 K/BB, 264 OBA, 13.2 IPs), especially considering he spent all of the regular season in Low Class A after sitting out 2002. www.topprospectalert.com/AZFall/

Who is he? From Colbyjack's 2002 draft recap article: 5th Round: Jarrad Page-IF/OF-6'1", 190, California HS. UCLA football recruit as a defensive back, which in itself will likely mean that Page will be a very pricey if not tough sign. He could sign a deal that allows him to play football in the fall. As a 5th round pick, the Brewers likely did their homework & must be confident that they will be able to sign him. As a pro, Page projects to be a multi-talented IF, although many believe he could play anywhere on the field given his impressive overall athleticism. Jack Zduriencik has already noted that Page is projected as a 2B down the road. Has the speed, power potential, range, arm & hitting projection to be considered a legitimate 5-tool prospect.

FYI -- Play ended on the 30th for the Venezuelan, Puerto Rican, and Mexican Leagues, wrapping up the updates on players like Jon Nunnally (Mexico), Matt Parker (Puerto Rico), Wayne Franklin (Venezuela), etc. While action continues a bit in the Dominican, the nature of that league's play, particularly with pitchers (Luis Martinez has thrown 8.2 IP over seven appearances, for instance) make D.R. updates fairly inconsequential.

Jon Nunnally draws a walk in his post-holiday return; Matt Parker keeping busy... GAME DATE: 12/27/03 MXC at MAZ MEXICALI 0 AT MAZATLAN 4 YTD YTD MEXICALI AB R H BI AVG MAZATLAN AB R H BI AVG C.Prieto CF 2 0 1 0 .229 H.Gomez SS 4 2 2 0 .281 S.Gastelum 2B 4 0 0 0 .249 R.Valdez CF 1 1 0 0 .248 K.Grijak RF 4 0 0 0 .214 J.Gall 3B 2 0 2 3 .284 B.Smith 1B 3 0 0 0 .263 [b] J.Nunnally RF 3 0 0 0 .285[/b] D.Brinkley LF 2 0 1 0 .268 C.Jones LF 4 0 0 0 .217 C.Presichi PH 1 0 0 0 .262 L.Sutton DH 4 1 1 1 .277 C.Presichi LF 0 0 0 0 .262 M.Ojeda CAT 4 0 0 0 .228 T.Zuniga DH 3 0 1 0 .282 D.Fornes 1B 2 0 2 0 .266 R.Vizcarra 3B 3 0 1 0 .224 V.Verdugo 2B 3 0 1 0 .282 F.Valdez CAT 3 0 0 0 .234 F.Campos PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Hernandez SS 3 0 0 0 .204 H.Navarro PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Pina PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Cerros PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 A.Carrasco PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Corey PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Flores PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 28 0 4 0 TOTALS 27 4 8 4 MEXICALI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0 4 1 MAZATLAN 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 X- 4 8 0 E--R.Pina. DP--MEXICALI 3, MAZATLAN 2. LOB--MEXICALI 3, MAZATLAN 6. 2B--H.Gomez (13), J.Gall (5). HR--L.Sutton (5). SB--C.Prieto (6), D.Brinkley (12), D.Fornes (2). CS--R.Vizcarra. SF--J.Gall. SH-- R.Valdez. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA MEXICALI R.Pina (L,3-5) 6.0 7 3 3 5 4 1 4.58 A.Carrasco 1.0 1 1 1 0 0 0 4.89 J.Flores 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5.68 MAZATLAN F.Campos (W,10-2) 5.0 4 0 0 0 1 0 2.19 H.Navarro 2.0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1.78 J.Cerros 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6.75 B.Corey 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2.65 SO--S.Gastelum, B.Smith, C.Presichi, F.Valdez, C.Jones 2, M.Ojeda, V.Verdugo. [b]BB[/b]--C.Prieto 2, R.Valdez 2, J.Gall, [b]J.Nunnally[/b], D.Fornes. T--2:23. GAME DATE: 12/27/03 SJN at CRL SAN JUAN 2 AT CAROLINA 9 YTD YTD SAN JUAN AB R H BI AVG CAROLINA AB R H BI AVG J.Velazquez SS 5 1 1 0 .274 A.Torres CF 4 1 0 1 .202 C.Baerga DH 4 0 3 1 .750 V.Rodriguez 2B 5 1 1 2 .296 D.McDonald PR 0 0 0 0 .324 O.Saenz DH 5 0 1 0 .327 R.Gonzalez RF 3 0 0 0 .259 M.Restovich RF 4 2 2 2 .316 R.Gonzalez CF 0 0 0 0 .259 Y.Molina CAT 5 0 0 0 .322 O.Marrero 1B 4 0 0 0 .293 A.Hernandez 1B 5 1 1 1 .217 L.Lucca 3B 3 0 1 1 .371 R.Gotay 3B 4 2 3 1 .270 Y.Benitez CF 4 0 1 0 .280 C.Crespo LF 2 1 1 1 .241 G.Martinez LF 0 0 0 0 .239 M.Aviles SS 2 1 1 0 .275 A.Sanchez CAT 3 0 1 0 .266 L.Jacobsen PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Leon LF 4 1 1 0 .147 M.Martinez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Leon RF 0 0 0 0 .147 M.Parker PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 T.Rodriguez 2B 3 0 0 0 .000 W.Collazo PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Navarro PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Flores PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 I.Montane PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Rodriguez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 S.Dunn PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 E.Nieves PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 33 2 8 2 TOTALS 36 9 10 8 SAN JUAN 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0- 2 8 2 CAROLINA 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 6 X- 9 10 1 E--O.Marrero, T.Rodriguez, V.Rodriguez. DP--SAN JUAN 0, CAROLINA 0. LOB--SAN JUAN 8, CAROLINA 9. 2B--C.Baerga (1), M.Restovich 2 (8), R.Gotay (9). 3B--R.Gotay (1). SB--V.Rodriguez (5), R.Gotay (6), C.Crespo (4). SF--L.Lucca, C.Crespo. SH--A.Sanchez, T.Rodriguez. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA SAN JUAN J.Navarro (L,0-2) 5.1 5 3 2 2 3 0 2.55 R.Flores 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 0 4.30 I.Montane 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4.95 J.Rodriguez 0.1 2 2 2 0 0 0 6.75 S.Dunn 0.1 2 4 3 2 1 0 5.68 E.Nieves 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6.14 CAROLINA L.Jacobsen 4.0 3 0 0 0 0 0 5.49 M.Martinez (W,3-1) 3.0 4 2 2 0 3 0 3.34 [b]M.Parker 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3.38[/b] W.Collazo 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4.10 SO--R.Gonzalez, L.Lucca, Y.Benitez 2, A.Torres 2, O.Saenz 2, M.Restovich 2. BB--R.Gonzalez, A.Torres, M.Restovich, C.Crespo, M.Aviles 2. T--3:41. A--1024

Nearly all the Brewers this thread has referred to (Coste, Nunnally, etc.) have called it a winter. RHP Matt Parker has stuck it out right through the Christmas holiday in Puerto Rico. GAME DATE: 12/26/03 CRL at SNT CAROLINA 7 AT SANTURCE 5 YTD YTD CAROLINA AB R H BI AVG SANTURCE AB R H BI AVG A.Torres CF 3 1 0 0 .208 J.Flores LF 4 1 1 0 .277 V.Rodriguez 2B 4 1 1 0 .299 E.Diaz 2B 5 0 1 1 .260 O.Saenz 3B 5 0 3 1 .331 E.Guzman 3B 5 0 1 0 .277 R.Gotay PR 0 1 0 0 .250 R.Castro CAT 4 0 0 0 .256 R.Gotay 3B 0 0 0 0 .250 J.Rodriguez RF 3 1 1 0 .362 M.Restovich RF 4 1 2 1 .306 J.Rodriguez CF 0 0 0 0 .362 Y.Molina CAT 5 2 3 2 .336 R.Hawkins DH 5 1 2 0 .185 A.Hernandez 1B 5 1 2 1 .218 F.Crespo 1B 5 1 3 0 .228 R.Rivera DH 3 0 0 0 .207 L.Lopez SS 3 1 1 1 .190 X.Arroyo PR 0 0 0 0 .167 N.Ortiz SS 0 0 0 0 .240 C.Crespo PH 1 0 1 1 .236 J.Feliciano CF 2 0 1 0 .264 A.Rios LF 4 0 1 0 .169 C.Amador PH 1 0 0 0 .400 J.Espada SS 3 0 0 0 .284 C.Amador CF 0 0 0 0 .400 B.Simon PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Rivera PH 1 0 1 3 .268 L.Gonzalez PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Candelaria RF 0 0 0 0 .301 J.Matos PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Smith PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Romero PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 H.GARDNER PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Parker PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 E.Burke PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 W.Collazo PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Diaz PIT 0 0 0 0 1.000 B.Sylvester PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 37 7 13 6 TOTALS 38 5 12 5 CAROLINA 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 4- 7 13 0 SANTURCE 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0- 5 12 0 DP--CAROLINA 0, SANTURCE 3. LOB--CAROLINA 10, SANTURCE 11. 2B-- O.Saenz (17), Y.Molina 2 (9), C.Crespo (2), F.Crespo (6), L.Lopez (6), M.Rivera (3). HR--A.Hernandez (2). SB--A.Torres (7), J.Rodriguez (3). HBP--L.Lopez. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA CAROLINA B.Simon 5.1 8 1 0 1 4 0 3.97 L.Gonzalez 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.96 J.Matos 0.1 0 0 0 1 0 0 6.08 J.Romero 0.2 3 4 4 1 1 0 18.00 [b]M.Parker (W,1-1) 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3.57[/b] W.Collazo (S,1) 0.2 1 0 0 0 0 0 4.18 SANTURCE C.Smith 4.1 5 3 3 5 0 1 3.94 H.GARDNER 0.0 2 0 0 0 0 0 9.39 E.Burke 1.2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.80 R.Diaz 2.0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2.79 B.Sylvester (L,2-2) 1.0 5 4 4 0 2 0 10.50 HB--J.Romero. PB--Y.Molina. SO--A.Torres, M.Restovich, A.Hernandez, J.Flores, E.Guzman, R.Castro 3, J.Feliciano. BB--A.Torres 2, V.Rodriguez, M.Restovich, R.Rivera, A.Rios, J.Espada, J.Flores, R.Castro, J.Rodriguez 2. T--3:50.

Is it OK to come out and post now http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif ? Obviously a quiet time, as I believe the MLB offices are closed until at least January 5th. Don't expect a lot of transactions to be formally announced anywhere until at least that time. Rotoworld's Top 10 Prospect analysis is out, and the names match those on the Power 50, but are jumbled up some. If we asked Rotoworld to extend it by two, they most likely would also add Ben Hendrickson and Lou Palmisano, as did Toby. 1. Prince Fielder - 1B - Age 19 - ETA: 2006 .313/.409/.526, 27 HR, 112 RBI, 80/71 K/BB, 2 SB in 502 AB for Low Single-A Beloit Maybe Richie Sexson is someone the Brewers should have tried to build around, but here?s the big reason why they were so willing to let him go. Fielder, the son of the former Tigers first baseman Cecil and a 2002 first-round pick, destroyed Midwest League pitching last season, taking home MVP honors. With his power, ability to make consistent contact and plate discipline, there?s every reason to believe that Fielder will develop into an All-Star. Defensively, he?s subpar but not terrible and he might even become average someday if he can keep his weight down. Since he has only Lyle Overbay left ahead of him at first base, Fielder could reach Milwaukee in the second half of 2005. 2. Rickie Weeks - 2B - Age 21 - ETA: Aug. 2004 .500/.600/.500, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 2/0 K/BB, 1 SB in 4 AB for Rookie AZL Brewers .349/.494/.556, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 9/15 K/BB, 2 SB in 63 AB for Low Single-A Beloit .167/.286/.250, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 6/1 K/BB, 0 SB in 12 AB for Milwaukee .319/.440/.431, 1 HR, 15 RBI, 19/12 K/BB, 9 SB in 72 AB for Peoria Saguaros (AFL) With strong showings in the Midwest League and in the AFL, Weeks, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 draft, quickly emerged as one of baseball?s best prospects after signing a major league contract with the Brewers. A product of Southern University, Weeks might already be able to hold his own in the majors offensively. He projects as a .310-.320 hitter, and since he?s patient at the plate and could develop 15-homer power, he should be one of baseball?s better all-around second baseman. Since Weeks lacks polish defensively, another three to five months in the minors would do him some good. He has the tools to be a quality defensive second baseman, so expect it to happen with experience. Because he has 30-40 steal potential, Weeks is an excellent fantasy prospect. 3. J.J. Hardy - SS - Age 21 - ETA: July 2004 .279/.368/.428, 12 HR, 62 RBI, 54/58 K/BB, 6 SB in 416 AB for Double-A Huntsville Although he cooled off in the second half of the season, Hardy?s 2003 has to be considered a huge success. Already a quality defensive shortstop, the 2001 second-round pick dramatically increased his offensive production as a 20-year-old in Double-A. The Brewers were giving serious thought to making him their starting shortstop in 2004 before acquiring Craig Counsell in November. It?s now expected to be Counsell?s job on Opening Day, but Hardy should get his chance by the All-Star break. He could turn into a Rich Aurilia-type player. 4. Brad Nelson - OF/1B - Age 21 - ETA: July 2005 .311/.363/.395, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 22/12 K/BB, 2 SB in 167 AB for Single-A High Desert .210/.274/.315, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 34/11 K/BB, 2 SB in 143 AB for Double-A Huntsville .220/.304/.232, 0 HR, 8 RBI, 23/9 K/BB, 0 SB in 82 AB for Peoria Saguaros (AFL) Ignore his 2003 numbers. Nelson, who hit .289 with 20 HR and 116 RBI in 2002, suffered a broken hamate bone at the end of April and never recovered his power. He should be back at 100 percent in 2004, so expect a big season in Double-A. Nelson, a natural first baseman, made the switch to left field last season and is expected to stay there, even though Richie Sexson is now gone. He could probably use two more years in the minors, but the Brewers could give him a job in 2005 if Geoff Jenkins leaves. As of right now, Nelson looks like an average regular. However, he?ll be something more than that if he becomes more patient at the plate and does a better job of hitting -- or at least laying off -- breaking balls. 5. Mike Jones - RHP - Age 20 - ETA: June 2005 7-2, 2.40 ERA, 87 H, 63/47 K/BB in 97 2/3 IP for Double-A Huntsville Jones, a 2001 first-round pick out of an Arizona high school, bypassed the California League and went right to Double-A last season. Despite a disappointing strikeout rate, he was very successful for Huntsville until an elbow injury shut him down. It?s possible that he?ll end up needing Tommy John surgery, but the Brewers hope it can be avoided. If they?re right and Jones resumes throwing low-90s fastballs and quality curves next season, then he?s a top prospect who could arrive in the majors before the end of the year. More likely is that he?ll continue to have arm problems. 6. Manny Parra - LHP - Age 21 - ETA: 2006 11-2, 2.73 ERA, 127 H, 117/24 K/BB in 138 2/3 IP for Low Single-A Beloit Featuring a junkballer?s mentality along with legit stuff, Parra was one of the Midwest League?s top pitchers until hurting a pectoral muscle in August. He displays impressive control of a low-90s fastball, curve and changeup, but it?s his cutter that might be his best pitch. Once he starts doing a better job of handling left-handed hitters, he should move up quickly. 7. Corey Hart - 3B - Age 22 - ETA: May 2005 .302/.340/.467, 13 HR, 94 RBI, 101/28 K/BB, 25 SB in 493 AB for Double-A Huntsville One would think winning Southern League MVP honors at age 21 would send a player?s stock soaring. Hart didn?t deserve the hardware, though. The 2000 11th-round pick is a solid prospect, but he actually had a disappointing 2003, posting an OPS 50 points lower than his career total and making 32 errors at third base. Hart is really a first baseman and may never make the adjustment to third, which could lead to him being switched to left field. He might have a difficult time becoming a solid regular as a corner outfielder. 8. Dave Krynzel - OF - Age 22 - ETA: April 2005 .267/.357/.357, 2 HR, 34 RBI, 119/60 K/BB, 43 SB in 457 AB for Double-A Huntsville .233/.295/.314, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 14/3 K/BB, 3 SB in 86 AB for Peoria Saguaros (AFL) Krynzel?s stock was as high as it?s ever been after a strong first half in 2003 (he came in at No. 49 on the midseason top 100 list), but the 2000 first-round pick struggled in August and September, ruining what chance he had of making an impact in the majors in 2004. The Brewers still think he?s their center fielder and leadoff hitter of the future, but that could change if Scott Podsednik can prove his rookie season was no fluke. If Krynzel takes better advantage of his speed and bounces back in Triple-A, he?ll probably push Podsednik to right field in 2005. 9. Jorge De La Rosa - LHP - Age 22 - ETA: Sept. 2004 6-3, 2.80 ERA, 87 H, 102/36 K/BB in 99 2/3 IP for Double-A Portland 1-2, 3.75 ERA, 27 H, 17/12 K/BB in 24 IP for Triple-A Pawtucket De La Rosa was Boston?s top pitching prospect before being sent to Arizona in the Curt Schilling trade. The Brewers then acquired him in the Richie Sexson deal. Once viewed as a reliever, De La Rosa now looks like a possible No. 3 starter. He has a 91-94 mph fastball, a hard curve and a decent changeup. Expect him to see time in the Milwaukee rotation before the end of the season. 10. Luis Martinez - LHP - Age 24 - ETA: Now 8-5, 2.58 ERA, 93 H, 116/54 K/BB in 115 IP for Double-A Huntsville 4-0, 0.99 ERA, 37 H, 46/19 K/BB in 45 2/3 IP for Triple-A Indianapolis 0-3, 9.92 ERA, 25 H, 10/15 K/BB in 16 1/3 IP for Milwaukee Martinez, signed out of the Dominican Republic in 1996, finally had his breakthrough season in 2003. The left-hander entered the year with a 5.97 ERA in six seasons, but the Brewers never gave up on him because of his low-90s fastball and quality changeup. Although Martinez was dreadful in four starts for Milwaukee in September, he should be a part of the team?s plans for next year. He?ll probably be inconsistent throughout his career, but he has the talent to become a quality starter. Last year?s top 10 - Corey Hart, Mike Jones, Brad Nelson, Prince Fielder, Dave Krynzel, J.J. Hardy, Ben Hendrickson, Manny Parra, Ben Diggins, Bill Hall For Rotoworld's entire NL Central prospect analysis, follow here: www.rotoworld.com/display...;column=14

Drew Olson on Mike Jones: The Brewers recently received some encouraging news on right-hander Mike Jones, one of their top pitching prospects who was shut down for much of the second half of the season at Class AA Huntsville with an ailing elbow. Jones went for a second opinion from Anaheim Angels orthopedic specialist Lewis Yocum, who agreed that the former first-round draft pick has a sprained elbow ligament. When Jones, 20, first was injured, there was some concern that the ligament was torn, which would necessitate "Tommy John" reconstructive surgery, forcing him to miss at least a year of action. Now, with Yocum's blessing, Jones has resumed a throwing program in Phoenix with hopes of being ready for spring training. "Dr. Yocum agreed with what we'd been saying all along," said Brewers farm director Reid Nichols. "Mike wanted the second opinion for his own peace of mind. "He was throwing from 120 feet with no pain but the elbow didn't feel completely 100% yet, so he wanted to make sure. He'll stay on his throwing program and should be OK by spring training." Jones made 17 starts before being sidelined at Huntsville and went 7-2 with a 2.40 ERA. He was selected to the Southern League midseason all-star team.

From Apple-ton on Matt Erickson: www.wisinfo.com/postcresc...4475.shtml

Within the initial post in this thread, we noted those who are currently listed at a minor league level higher than what they attained in 2003, among those who were transferred earlier this week. Here are other players who remain at a higher level in the Brewer system after all the post-Rule 5 transfers have been made. Again, no guarantee that these players will begin at this level, but it's a possibly decent indication: Currently on the AAA Indianapolis roster: RHP Ryan Miller RHP Matt Parker RHP Jason Shelley SS J.J. Hardy Currently on the AA Huntsville roster: RHP Khalid Ballouli RHP J.M. Gold LHP Manny Parra RHP Tony Stavros C Brian Foster (has had brief AA time in the past) IF/OF Scott Candelaria 1B Prince Fielder OF Dan Boyd