battlekow

The idea of what constitutes a prospect is an interesting philosophical discussion. I mean, was Mark DiFelice a prospect last year? Is it more important that he was 31, or that he'd never played in MLB before? I think basically we're looking to expose guys with a chance to contribute significantly to the Brewers who haven't played in MLB before (that's what makes Todd Coffey different from Mark DiFelice), regardless of age.

Jorge Arangure tweeted a bunch about Jacob Beltre today: Beltre was talked about as a first baseman, but he actually wants to catch. You can add the Cardinals to the Brewers, Cubs, and Giants on the list of interested teams. He's a converted third baseman, and he sees catching as his fastest route to the big leagues, but he's still learning the position and is a "big guy". He likely won't sign until after July 2nd. It sounds like the interest in him is just now mushrooming, so waiting to sign will make him a lot money. He's expected to get a six-figure bonus.

The Yankees traded Eric Fryer to the Pirates as part of a deal for Wisconsin native Eric Hinske.

The Yankees traded Eric Fryer to the Pirates as part of a deal for Wisconsin native Eric Hinske.

Oooh, Arnett over Braddock--intriguing! How quickly Cody Adams has fallen off the list entirely. That's looking like a wasted second-round pick.

Arnett on his start:

Well that's great to see. Allowed him to turn a bad outing into a strong one, and it means he must have been very economical with his pitches.

No kidding.

Is the box score screwing with me, or did Odorizzi really throw six innings?

Setting aside the issue that I don't see the team sending down Villanueva, he's more than three years removed from his first MLB appearance (5/23/06) and so would need to clear revocable waivers before being optioned. I don't know about the gentleman's agreement that frequently exists in situations like this, though; it could be that in practice no one is ever blocked from being clearing optional waivers. I hate high-scoring Nashville games where Escobar, Salome, and Gillespie do almost none of the damage; 2-11 between them, and Salome struck out three times.

Carlos George is also making his season debut tonight. I'm glad he didn't have a serious injury, as he's going to have to work hard to top last year's error total of 37 in 46 games.

Humorously, he threw out Reid Fronk in the 5th, an inning after Fronk had thrown him out. Ah, the old Larry Yount trick. Between him and his brother, they played in 2857 MLB games!

Gindl's added a homer now.

I do type faster than you http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Kiley McDaniel expects Pena to sign with the Padres, but Jorge Arangure says the Brewers (and Indians) are still in the game and trying to "snatch him away". Pena also will work out for the Yankees tomorrow, but they might not be as interested in him. Also, Ben Badler says the Brewers are still interested in Jacob Beltre, along with the Giants and Cubs.

I was wondering why that DSL box score never posted. I waited and waited and waited... Hey, is anyone else glad we don't play at High Desert anymore?

Brewers go deep to subdue Osprey Nick Lockridge Right field was the place to be - and the position to play - to fully enjoy the home run derby that broke out at Sunday's Missoula Osprey baseball game. The Helena Brewers blasted the Osprey 15-10 in a Pioneer League game that featured 10 home runs. The Brewers (3-3) hit six, including three homers by right fielder Scott Krieger, and the Osprey (3-3) hit four. A few of the homers got a boost from the wind that was blowing out to right field, which plays a measely 287 feet down the line. The fence is 24 feet high, but it did little to stop some of the pop-fly homers that went just about as high as they did deep. http://adsys.townnews.com/59142348/creative/missoulian.com/sports+middle.1/170787-1239310017.gif "A few didn't even clear the second fence back there," said Osprey right fielder Bobby Stone, talking about the chainlink fence that guards the railroad tracks immediately behind the ball field's boundaries. "There were a few 290-foot home runs. Between the sun and the wind, it was a tough day in right field." Sunday was the first 5 p.m. start time of the season, so the different angle of the sun made things tricky as well. Stone hit the final homer of the day, a two-run blast in the seventh inning that cut Helena's lead to 15-9. It was the third straight game Missoula's No. 3 hitter went yard. If Stone hits one in Monday's game at Great Falls, the lefty will tie an Osprey record for home runs in consecutive games. Jeff Stanek (2002) and Johe Acosta (2003) are the only O's players to hit four taters four days in a row. Stone, who's tied for the team lead in homers, was in position to send another one toward the tracks in his last at-bat in the eighth, but he struck out with two runners on base. Missoula already plated one run in the frame and the crowd, sensing the moment and the trend of homers for the day, rose to their feet to cheer on Stone. "It's nice they think enough of you that you'll get it done," Stone said. "It would have been nice to get those three (runs). Personal stats are nice to look at, but at the end of the day W's and L's are what matters." The Brewers nearly tied a Pioneer League record for homers. The most by one team in a game is seven. The other Helena batters to go long were Chris Ellington, Cutter Dykstra and Joseph Paciorek. Krieger homered in three straight at-bats in the third, fifth and sixth innings and finished with six RBIs. His last homer gave Helena a 12-7 lead. For Missoula, Keon Broxton, Paul Goldschmidt and David Narodowski went deep. Narodowski hit two bombs in Saturday's 16-7 win, which featured seven home runs, including five by the Osprey. Sunday was another rough day on the pitchers. Helena reliever Kristian Bueno wound up with the win. He avoided the offensive explosion better than the others by pitching just one inning, a scoreless fifth, to get his first win.

Smokies seeing Stars Stern's homer difference for Huntsville, 3-2 Nick Gates SEVIERVILLE - Second verse same as the first? Sure looks that way. Huntsville's Adam Stern led off the game with a home run and won it with another solo blast onto the berm in right field in the ninth inning and the Stars rallied for a rain-delayed 3-2 Southern League victory over the Tennessee Smokies on Sunday night. "He has had some big at-bats against us," Tennessee manager Ryne Sandberg said. The Hall of Famer was right on. Stern bats leadoff and has seven RBIs in 11 games against the Smokies. The Milwaukee Brewers' Class AA farmhands have won eight in a row over Tennessee at Smokies Park. The previous seven laid the foundation for Huntsville's North Division first-half championship. Stern was at the head of the Stars' traditional post-game handshake line and his smile said it all. "I doesn't happen too often that I hit balls out of the ballpark," said the 29-year-old Canadian, who has three homers this season. "Obviously it's fun." Stern deposited a 2-1 pitch from starter Marcos Mateo onto the berm. He connected again against reliever Jake Muyco (2-2). "I just wanted to get myself on second base," said Stern, who turned on a first-pitch fastball for his second homer. Did the stars align properly for Stern or is there more to it than that? "I don't know what it is," he answered. "Maybe it was the four-hour bus ride. Getting up (early) and not getting any sleep. Who knows?" One thing is certain, the Stars (5-2) have the Smokies' number. Pinch hitter Ty Wright delivered a two-run double off Huntsville ace Donovan Hand to put Tennessee up 2-1 in the fifth. But Michael Garciaparra tied the game 2-2 with a run-scoring single in the eighth off Tennessee reliever Todd Blackford. "We just got him a couple of days ago," Stern said. "He knows what is expected of him." Garciaparra, a former University of Tennessee signee and the brother of Oakland A's corner infielder Nomar Garciaparra, and Rob Wooten, who got the final three outs for his first save, are Stars' newcomers. Nevertheless the beat down on Tennessee (3-4) goes on. "It's our attitude on the bench," Stern said. "We just don't give up. Everyone seems to come up with keys hits." Tony Thomas - the first Smoky Hand faced - reached on an error. The right-hander retired the next 11 in order. Doug Deeds, who had half of Tennessee's four hits, singled to open the fifth and ruined Hand's no-hit bid. Tyler Colvin bounced a single to right and Jonathan Mota advanced the runners into scoring position with a bunt. Donovan threw a strike to Blake Lalli before the game was stopped because of rain for 44 minutes. The .305 hitter was intentionally walked after the delay to fill the bases. Mark Reed flied to shallow right but Wright yanked Donovan's first pitch into the left-field corner.

Final: Helena 15, Missoula 10 Helena box score Wow, where to start? Well, obviously with Scott Krieger's three home runs, and he almost had a fourth, flying out to the warning track in his last at-bat. Steve Wendt said (and total of 10 home runs between the two teams confirms) that weather conditions were very favorable for long balls today, but still, very impressive. Cutter Dykstra, Chris Ellington, and Joey Paciorek each also homered for the H-Crew; Paciorek's was to dead center over the batter's eye. Dykstra also had two errors, both throwing. Josh Prince notched another steal, his 10th already. As Wendt noted, Kristian Bueno gets his first professional win after going 0-10 cumulatively the last two years in Maryvale. Wendt said Chad Robinson was working at 88 and touched 90 once, which is disappointing; Robinson was given $500K to sign as a 12th-round draft-and-follow in 2006 and could really bring it before his shoulder surgery. Helena play-by-play Not sure why Cameron Garfield was removed from the game; he grounded out in the top of the 4th and then was replaced by Shawn Zarraga behind the plate in the bottom of the inning. After going 1-2-3 in the first, Helena scored two runs in each of their next three innings and then three runs in each of the three innings after that.

RedHawks Stomp Sounds 12-1 NashvilleSounds.com NASHVILLE - The Nashville Sounds lost to the Oklahoma City RedHawks 12-1 on Sunday evening at Historic Greer Stadium. The Sounds went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Oklahoma City started the rally in the top of the fourth by loading the bases with no outs off Sounds starter Manny Parra. Joaquin Arias reached base on a throwing error, followed by walks to Esteban German and Max Ramirez. Brandon Boggs then brought home Arias and German on a single to center field to put the RedHawks ahead at 2-0. Parra was able to get out of the inning with no further damage forcing a groundout, followed by a strikeout, and a pickoff. Oklahoma City loaded the bases again with no outs in the top of the fifth and added five more runs to their lead on a three-run double of the center field wall by Arias and an RBI-single by German. Royce Huffman joined in with a base-knock off reliever Sam Narron that made the score 7-0 Oklahoma City. Outfielder Cole Gillespie put the Sounds on the board with a solo shot to left field off Orlando Hernandez, his fifth of the season. All five home runs from Gillespie this season have come at Historic Greer Stadium. The RedHawks added four insurance runs in the eighth on an infield fielding error and five singles that gave Oklahoma City an 11-1 lead. Pedro Borbon hit his second homer of the season in the top of the ninth, a solo shot to right field that extended the RedHawks lead to 12-1. RedHawks starter Luis Mendoza allowed four hits over four scoreless innings. Hernandez (1-0) earned the win, striking out one in one inning of work. Parra (0-2) took the loss in his third minor league start this season, allowing six earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts and five walks. The first place Sounds continue their series with the RedHawks at 7:00 pm CT on Monday night at historic Greer Stadium. Right-hander Tim Dillard (7-3, 4.11) makes the start for Nashville against Oklahoma City righty Josh Rupe (1-4, 5.77). http://nashvillesounds.com/images/news/gillespie.jpg Cole Gillespie Nashville box score Just what you want to see after the big league performance today, eh? Manny Parra's final line: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 5 BB, 5 K; the walks are definitely the most frustrating thing there, but it's just Manny being Manny. All three other Sounds pitchers allowed at least one run, too. I guess Alcides Escobar got a day off. Angel Salome went 0-4 and allowed three stolen bases (all with Parra on the mound; Manny did have one pick-off) and committed a passed ball. Cole Gillespie provided the sole ray of prospect sunshine by going 1-3 with that homer and a walk. Joe Koshansky's 0-4 night drops him to .212/.319/.429 on the year; he's probably the first guy to lose his 40-man spot if the Brewers need it, don't you think? Nashville play-by-play Manny bent but didn't break after a tough beginning to the 4th: Okla. City Top 4th Joaquin Arias reaches on throwing error by shortstop Adam Heether. With Esteban German batting, Joaquin Arias steals (15) 2nd base. With Esteban German batting, passed ball by Angel Salome, Joaquin Arias to 3rd. Esteban German walks. With Max Ramirez batting, Esteban German steals (23) 2nd base. Max Ramirez walks. Coaching visit to mound. Brandon Boggs singles on a ground ball to center fielder Jason Bourgeois. Joaquin Arias scores. Esteban German scores. Max Ramirez to 2nd. Greg Golson grounds into a force out, shortstop Adam Heether to second baseman Hernan Iribarren. Max Ramirez to 3rd. Brandon Boggs out at 2nd. Greg Golson to 1st. Royce Huffman strikes out swinging. With Casey Benjamin batting, Greg Golson picked off and caught stealing 2nd base, pitcher Manny Parra to first baseman Joe Koshansky to shortstop Adam Heether to second baseman Hernan Iribarren to first baseman Joe Koshansky. And then broke completely in the 5th: Casey Benjamin doubles (6) on a ground ball to right fielder Drew T. Anderson. Jose Vallejo walks. With Julio Borbon batting, wild pitch by Manny Parra, Casey Benjamin to 3rd. Jose Vallejo to 2nd. Julio Borbon walks. Joaquin Arias doubles (8) on a line drive to center fielder Jason Bourgeois. Casey Benjamin scores. Jose Vallejo scores. Julio Borbon scores. Esteban German singles on a line drive to left fielder Cole Gillespie. Joaquin Arias scores. Max Ramirez strikes out swinging. Brandon Boggs strikes out swinging. Greg Golson walks. Esteban German to 2nd. Coaching visit to mound. Pitcher Change: Sam Narron replaces Manny Parra. Royce Huffman singles on a line drive to left fielder Cole Gillespie. Esteban German scores. Greg Golson to 3rd on the throw. Casey Benjamin grounds out, second baseman Hernan Iribarren to first baseman Joe Koshansky.

Stars Continue Their Success Against Smokies Brett Pollock Adam Stern belted the game-winning home run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to lift Huntsville past Tennessee 3-2 Sunday evening in a rain delayed, rain interrupted game at Smokies Park. The Stars improved to 5-2 in the second half and 43-33 overall, while the Smokies fell to 3-4 in the second half and 35-42 overall. The Stars have won eight straight games in Sevierville and lead the season series 8-3. Jonathan Lucroy and Kevin Melillo opened the eighth inning with singles against Todd Blackford before Vinny Rottino lined out to third baseman Marquez Smith, who doubled off Lurcoy at second base. Tennessee catcher Mark Reed committed two passed balls that allowed Melillo to advance to third from where he scored to tie the game on a single by Michael Garciaparra, who picked up his first hit since rejoining the team. Blackford was charged with the unearned run on four hits over three innings behind starter Marcos Mateo. Jake Muyco took over in the ninth and struck out the first two hitters he faced before Stern walloped his first offering over the wall in right field for his second homer of the game and third of the season. Rob Wooten came on to throw a scoreless bottom of the ninth to preserve the one-run win and earn his first save at the double-A level. Zach Braddock set down all six hitters he faced to earn his first double-A win. The game was delayed 36 minutes at the start and once it began, Stern belted Mateo's fourth pitch for a home run to right field to give the Stars the early lead. Shane Justis singled and moved to third base on a one-out double by Melillo but the visitors could not add to their lead, as Vinny Rottino popped out and Garciaparra struck out. The Stars stranded a runner in scoring position in each of the first four innings against Mateo, who allowed a run on five hits over five frames. Donovan Hand kept the Smokies hitless through four innings and had set down 11 in a row before Doug Deeds and Tyler Colvin singled to start the fifth. Jonathan Mota advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt before play was halted due to heavy rain with Hand having thrown a first pitch strike to Blake Lalli. Action was resumed 44 minutes later and the Stars elected to walk Lalli to load the bases. The strategy paid off initially when Reed skied out to shallow right field for the second out but was spoiled when pinch-hitter Ty Wright doubled into left field on the first pitch he saw to plate Deeds and Colvin to give the home side a 2-1 lead. Hand finished six innings, giving up three hits, walking one and fanning two in his sixth start of the season. The series continues Monday evening with left-hander David Welch starting for Huntsville against Tennessee right-hander Casey Coleman. Coverage of the game begins at 6:00 pm central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com. Huntsville box score Jonathan Lucroy was 1-3 with a HBP. Zach Braddock and Rob Wooten continue to get it done out of the pen, not missing a beat since their promotion; sadly, Braddock didn't get an at-bat tonight. Adam Stern's career high in homers is eight, and as Brett Pollock mentioned, he had only one on the year coming into today, so his two-homer performance is certainly a surprise. I didn't realize Stern was Canadian until just now--they're everywhere! Huntsville play-by-play Much like Jeff Suppan, Donovan Hand almost got out of a jam in the 5th before letting a couple runs in after all: Tennessee Bottom 5th Doug Deeds singles on a line drive to center fielder Adam Stern. Tyler Colvin singles on a ground ball to right fielder Vinny Rottino. Doug Deeds to 2nd. Jonathan Mota out on a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Michael Garciaparra to second baseman Shane Justis. Doug Deeds to 3rd. Tyler Colvin to 2nd. Donovan Hand intentionally walks Blake Lalli. Mark Reed flies out to right fielder Vinny Rottino. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Ty Wright replaces Marcos Mateo. Ty Wright doubles (10) on a line drive to left fielder Chuck Caufield. Doug Deeds scores. Tyler Colvin scores. Blake Lalli to 3rd. Tony Thomas flies out to left fielder Chuck Caufield.

Chiefs 15, Timber Rattlers 6 Brett Christopherson It was an explosive inning for the Peoria Chiefs. For the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, it was an absolute nightmare. The Chiefs pounded out seven hits and sent 13 batters to the plate to fuel a nine-run eighth as they turned a one-run deficit into a resounding 15-6 romp over Wisconsin on Sunday at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute. All nine batters in the lineup scored in a decisive frame that opened with three straight hits and didn't see the first out recorded until the first nine reached safely. Right-hander Rigoberto Almonte entered the game to open the seventh and was battered for seven runs - six earned - and six hits in one official inning. He yielded four of his six hits in the eighth and was unable to record an out in the inning before giving way to fellow righty Nick Tyson, who didn't fare much better in allowing all three inherited runners to score and surrendering three more hits and three runs. Peoria had managed to score just four total runs the three previous games of the Midwest League series as Wisconsin took three out of four. Eight players drove in runs for the Chiefs, who finished with 17 hits and took advantage of four Rattlers errors to score three unearned runs. Rebel Ridling, the home run champion as part of last week's Midwest League all-star festivities, pushed across three runs to pace Peoria. The first baseman doubled twice in the win, one a run-scoring shot to right-center in the eighth for an 11-6 lead. Wisconsin's offensive highlight took place in the sixth when it scored four times to grab a 6-4 advantage. The big hit was Juan Sanchez's two-out single to right that drove in a pair. The other two runs were scored on bases loaded walks. Rattlers first baseman Brock Kjeldgaard belted a solo home run to left in the fourth - his team-leading 11th of the season. Turning point Miscommunication between Wisconsin second baseman Brett Lawrie and right fielder Michael Vass allowed Mario Mercedes' lazy fly ball to right to fall in safely. The Chiefs catcher wound up with a double, advanced to third on a balk and then scored on a bloop single to left by Drew Rundle. That tied the game at 6-6 and ignited Peoria towards its huge inning. Stat pack 2: Earned runs allowed by Tyson on Sunday, his first of the season. He came into the game having tossed 15 1/3 scoreless innings over 11 appearances. 10: String of road losses snapped by the Chiefs. Their last road victory had been an 8-1 decision at Kane County on June 6. 14: Innings the Rattlers needed to outlast Peoria on Saturday - a 2-1 decision. The last 14-inning game played at Fox Cities Stadium was June 4, 2003 against Fort Wayne. Wisconsin also prevailed in that contest by the same score. 17: Most runs allowed this season by the Rattlers. Quad Cities whipped Wisconsin 17-7 in the back end of a doubleheader on April 27 at Davenport, Iowa, to sweep the two games. Adams due back Rattlers right-hander Cody Adams is scheduled to start Tuesday's series opener against Clinton. The 22-year-old was placed on the seven-day disabled list last Tuesday. According to Rattlers manager Jeff Isom, the move was made not because of injury but to allow Adams to refine his mechanics. Adams is 1-5 with a 5.64 ERA in 12 games this season. Nine of his appearances are starts. He was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of last June's draft and is rated by Baseball America as the 28th best prospect in the Brewers' system. His line includes 30 Ks, 26 walks and 55 hits allowed through 44 2/3 innings.

Adam McCalvy reports that Chris Dennis injured a tendon and will be out 4-6 weeks and, via the Appleton Post-Crescent, that Steve Braun fractured his ankle and might be out the rest of the year.

Chiefs crack Rattlers with big eighth inning Chris Mehring GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Peoria Chiefs grabbed control of a see-saw affair against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers with a nine-run eighth inning on Sunday afternoon at Time Warner Cable Field. Rebel Ridling had three RBI for the Chiefs in their 15-6 win. The Chiefs (39-34 overall, 1-3 second half) started the scoring with two runs in the top of the third inning against Wisconsin starter Trey Watten. Drew Rundle started the inning with a double. He scored on a single by David Macias. Later in the frame, a sacrifice fly by Kyler Burke put the Chiefs in front 2-0. Wisconsin (37-37, 3-1) rallied to tie the game with single runs in the third and fourth inning against Peoria starter Aaron Shafer. Juan Sanchez doubled off the left field wall with one out in the third. Brett Lawrie drove him in with a double that stayed just fair down the left field line. Brock Kjeldgaard homered against Shafer in the game at Miller Park back on April 24. On Sunday, Kjeldgaard lined a one-out, solo homer in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game 2-2. The homer was Kjeldgaard's 11th of the season. Peoria went back in front with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Ryan Flaherty drove in a run with a single in the fifth and an error on a dropped popup let in the run that put the Chiefs up 4-2. Wisconsin rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning to score four runs and take the lead. Shafer gave up a double and a pair of walks to load the bases. He was replaced by Jeffrey Beliveau and the lefty promptly walked Kjledgaard to force in a run. Beliveau struck out the next two batters, but walked Derrick McPhearson to force in the tying run. Juan Sanchez followed with a two-run single and Wisconsin had a 6-4 lead. Ridling pulled the Chiefs to within a run in the top of the seventh inning with a sacrifice fly. Then, the Chiefs took out some frustrations on the Rattlers in the top of the eighth. Wisconsin had been 7-0 against the Chiefs with five wins by a single run...until Sunday. The first nine Peoria batters reached safely to start the top of the eighth. All nine would score and put the score at 14-6. Rigoberto Almonte faced the first six Chiefs in the inning and left with the bases loaded and the Rattlers down 8-6. Nick Tyson came on to try to stop the bleeding, but it only got worse after an error that allowed two runs to score, an RBI double by Ridling and a two-run single by Nelson Perez. In all, Peoria sent 13 batters to the plate in the eighth, there was a hit batsman, a balk, and a pair of Wisconsin errors. After the shaky start to his relief stint, Beliveau settled in and worked the final three innings in a scoreless fashion. He struck out eight over his entire outing and picked up the win. Ridling put a cap on the scoring with an RBI double in the top of the ninth. The Rattlers are off on Monday. They return to action on Tuesday against the Clinton LumberKings. Cody Adams (1-5, 5.64) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Kenn Kasparek (4-4, 2.42) is set to start for the Midwest League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Game time on Tuesday is 7:05pm. Wisconsin box score Rigoberto Almonte--whoa. Nick Tyson was also touched up for his first runs allowed this season. As I mentioned above, Brett Lawrie's stole base was his first attempt this month after running a bit wild earlier in the year. Brock Kjeldgaard had two extra-base hits, but also two errors. Corey Kemp had a passed ball and allowed two stolen bases, though it was a double steal. Derrick McPhearson went 0-3 with a walk in his return to Wisconsin. Wisconsin play-by-play Kjeldgaard was also thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on Jose Duran's single.

Looks like Logan Schafer might be getting his mojo back: 3-4 with a double and another walk (that's five in the last three games). Two doubles for the second straight game for Brett Lawrie, who might also be feeling his Wheaties again. He also stole his first base in a long time, so maybe he's catching a second wind in what is undoubtedly a long grind of a season for a first-year prep player. He didn't even have a stolen base attempt in June until today.