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Final: @Wisconsin 9, Kane County 3 Rattlers are a hit in 2011 openerChris Mehring/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers cracked out 14 hits and rode a strong starting performance by Austin Ross for a 9-3 win over the Kane County Cougars at Time Warner Cable Field on Thursday night. Nick Shaw had three hits, including his first professional home run, scored three runs, and drove in a pair to pace the Wisconsin offense. Ross struck out six and allowed two hits over six innings for the victory. Ross retired the first two batters in the top of the first inning. Then, Brett Eibner homered to left in his first professional at bat. The second round pick of the Kansas City Royals out of the University of Arkansas put Kane County (0-1) in front 1-0. But, it was Ross, a product of Louisiana State University and a Southeastern Conference rival, who had the last laugh. The Rattler bats warmed up in a hurry. Shaw drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first after falling behind Kane County starter Leonel Santiago 0-2. Reggie Keen doubled down the left field line and a bobble in left field let Shaw score and Keen to take third. Cody Hawn’s RBI grounder send Keen home with the go ahead run. Later in the inning, Robbie Garvey doubled high off the wall in left to drive in Jason Rogers to give Wisconsin a 3-1 lead. Ross took to the hill in the top of the second and proceeded to throw strike after strike. He retired the side in order in the second and third. He pitched around an error in the top of the fourth and got a 6-4-3 double play after a leadoff single in the top of the fifth inning. Wisconsin (1-0) added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Shaw lifted a high fly down the right field line and the ball cleared the fence for Shaw’s first home run as a professional. Jason Rogers knocked in a run with a groundout and Mike Walker doubled off the wall in center to score the third run of the frame to put the Rattlers up 6-1. Ross concluded his night with a 1-2-3 top of the sixth inning. His line in his Midwest League debut was six innings pitched, one run, two hits, no walks, and six strikeouts. The offense rewarded the performance of their starting pitcher with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. The third Kane County error of the night allowed Carlos George to score all the way from first after a bunt single by Franklin Romero. Shaw drove in Romero with a single and would score on another RBI grounder by Rogers. Kane County took advantage of Tyler Cravy in the top of the seventh inning. Cravy walked the leadoff batter and allowed four hits in the inning. Back-to-back RBI singles by Angel Franco and Ryan Jenkins with the bases loaded cut Wisconsin’s lead to 9-3. Cravy got out of the inning with a flyball to shallow right and a diving stop by George. The Rattlers shortstop stopped a grounder ticketed for center and turned it into an inning ending force out at second. Greg Holle pitched a scoreless eighth and a scoreless ninth to close out the game. Wisconsin and Kane County continue the four game series on Friday night. Matt Miller is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Rattlers. Sugar Ray Marimon is set to go for the Cougars. Game time is 6:35pm. Friday night is a North Shore Bank Family Night. Children 12 and under eat free with a paid admission. Children 14 and under get to run the bases after the game. If you can’t make it to the game, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or www.timberrattlers.com starting with the pregame show at 6:15pm. Wisconsin box scoreFrom Baseball America's Prospect Handbook: "Because he pounds the strike zone with mostly consistent location, Ross should make quick work of Class A in 2011..." So far, so good, as Ross carried over his excellent 52/6 K/BB from Helena. His GO/AO was an even 5/5. Wisconsin's outfield isn't exactly well-pedigreed, but each of Keen, Garvey, and Romero reached base three times; Keen and Romero had three hits, while Garvey singled and walked twice. As speculated, TJ Mittelstaedt does appear to be the fourth outfielder, subbing for Garvey in left in the 9th. Tyler Roberts had a rough full-season debut, going 0-5, including grounding into two double plays, while also committing a throwing error. Hawn had a single in five trips. Wisconsin play-by-play

Maysonet is listed in the game notes, so it's just a clerical error by MiLB.com

Rattler Radio has your game notes and lineup:Nick Shaw 2BReggie Keen CFCody Hawn 1BJason Rogers DHMike Walker 3BRobbie Garvey LFTyler Roberts CCarlos George SSFrancisco Romero RFAustin Ross SP

Actually, turns out Marseco has been placed on the restricted list.

Huntsville game notes

Left over from last year. Roberts, along with C Sean McCraw, SS Michael Marseco, and IF Joey Paciorek didn't make a full-season squad out of the gates and have been assigned to Helena's roster. EDIT: RHP Alex Periard, too. He's probably on a DL somewhere, but until we hear, he'll be with Helena.

Per their game notes, RHP Andre Lamontagne, LHP Brae Wright, and C Shawn Riggans, in addition to OF Logan Schafer, open the year on Huntsville's DL.

LHP Manny Parra will begin his rehab assignment with a relief appearance for the Rattlers on Saturday.

No link, but Adam McCalvy says that RHP Andre Lamontagne has biceps tendinitis but is close to being healthy and will likely report to Huntsville when he is.

Some Timber Rattlers interviews by Justin Hull:RHP RHP C Mgr

Anyone shifted to the 60-day DL wouldn't be eligible for reinstatement until May 21st.

Per Brian Carriveau. The corresponding move hasn't been announced; if Marco Estrada is called up, the Brewers will also need to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, which could be accomplished by moving someone currently on the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL.

I think you've made it clear how you feel about the catching situation and Neda vis-a-vis Garfield. Let's let them play some games and then revisit the situation.

Chris Mehring has the Rattlers' rotation: RHP Austin RossRHP Matt MillerRHP Jimmy NelsonLHP Del HowellRHP Tyler Thornburg / RHP Dan Britt Interesting. Britt is not who I would have predicted to be Thornburg's piggyback partner; I would have thought Tyler Cravy or Stosh Wawrzasek.

Chris Mehring indicates that Austin Ross is tentatively scheduled to start on Opening Day.

Things that jump out at you: No Eric Arnett, no D'Vontrey Richardson. Injured, or going to Brevard County? We'll see. Jumping Tyler Roberts to full-season ball is nice and certainly warranted, but you've also got Cameron Garfield repeating; it'll be interesting to see how Matt Erickson manages that situation. The rotation, even without Arnett, is really interesting, especially if they let Stosh Wawrzasek start some games. I guess TJ Mittelstaedt will play some outfield? He did a bit for Helena last year, and that roster lists only three outfielders.

2011 Opening Day RosterChris Mehring/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers GRAND CHUTE, WI - The roster for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Midwest League affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, has been announced for the start of the 2011 season. There are seven players on Wisconsin's Opening Day roster who were rated as Top 30 prospects in the Brewers minor league system by Baseball America. The top three Brewers prospects with the Timber Rattlers listed by Baseball America to begin the season are pitchers and draft picks from the first five rounds of the 2010 first year player draft. Jimmy Nelson (2nd round, University of Alabama), Tyler Thornburg (3rd round, Charleston Southern), and Matt Miller (5th round, University of Michigan) were all members of the Helena Brewers, Milwaukee's Pioneer League affiliate, last season and helped that team win a Pioneer League Championship. First baseman Cody Hawn (6th round, University of Tennessee) is Baseball America's top ranked position player on the Opening Day roster for the Rattlers. Hawn hit 13 homers and drove in 61 runs for Helena last season. Other Brewers prospects as ranked by Baseball America on the Rattlers roster include: Catchers Cameron Garfield and Tyler Roberts and pitcher Austin Ross. Garfield is one of five players to spend time with Wisconsin during the 2010 season who return at the start of 2011. Pitchers Del Howell and Damon Krestalude; infielder Carlos George; and outfielder Franklin Romero are the other four. The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers open the season with a home game at Time Warner Cable Field on Thursday, April 7 against the Kane County Cougars. Game time is 6:35pm. Tickets for Opening Day or for any of the 70 home games during 2011 are available on line at timberrattlers.com, in person at the box office, or over the phone at 800-WI-TIMBER. The full Wisconsin Timber Rattlers roster for Opening Day, 2011:PITCHERS # Player B/T HT/WT Acquired 10 Charly Bashara L/L 6'1"/200 NDFA '10 36 Daniel Britt R/R 6'4"/190 29th[/sup] round '10 25 Tyler Cravy R/R 6'3"/196 17th[/sup] round '09 1 Brian Garman L/L 5'11"/203 17th[/sup] round '10 16 Greg Holle R/R 6'8"/240 11th[/sup] round '10 26 Del Howell L/L 6'4"/200 15th[/sup] round '09 18 Thomas Keeling L/L 6'2"/188 18th[/sup] round '10 39 Damon Krestalude R/R 6'4"/185 17th[/sup] round '08 22 Eric Marzec R/R 5'11/217 30th[/sup] round '10 23 Matt Milller R/R 6'6"/220 5th[/sup] round '10 20 Jimmy Nelson R/R 6'6"/245 2nd[/sup] round '10 12 Austin Ross R/R 6'2"/194 8th[/sup] round '10 30 Tyler Thornburg R/R 6'0"/188 3rd[/sup] round '10 40 Stosh Wawrzasek R/R 6'0"/249 16th[/sup] round '08 CATCHERS # Player B/T HT/WT Acquired 17 Cameron Garfield R/R 6'1"/195 2nd[/sup] round '09 19 Tony Pechek B/R 6'2"/201 NDFA '10 28 Tyler Roberts R/R 6'1"/228 10th[/sup] round '09 INFIELDERS # Player B/T HT/WT Acquired 7 Carlos George R/R 6'2"/160 46th[/sup] round '08 15 Cody Hawn L/R 6'1"/215 6th[/sup] round '10 5 Greg Hopkins R/R 6'1"/195 24th[/sup] round '10 6 TJ Mittelstaedt L/R 5'10"/185 44th[/sup] round '10 9 Jason Rogers R/R 6'2"/267 32nd[/sup] round '10 3 Nick Shaw L/R 6'0"/161 25th[/sup] round '10 33 Mike Walker L/R 6'4"/206 14th[/sup] round '10 OUTFIELDERS # Player B/T HT/WT Acquired 2 Robbie Garvey L/L 5'9"/170 NDFA '09 11 Reggie Keen R/R 5'11/176 NDFA '10 21 Franklin Romero R/R 5'11/180 20th[/sup] round '09 COACHING STAFF: Manager: Matt Erickson Pitching Coach: Chris Hook Hitting Coach: Dusty Rhodes Athletic Trainer: Jeff Paxson Strength & Conditioning: Tim Gifford http://wisconsin.timberrattlers.milb.com/images/2011/04/03/VYVv3VXQ.jpg Austin Ross (pitching) and Cody Hawn (at first) are two of the top Brewers prospects starting the 2011 season with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers)

Nelson says he'll be starting on Saturday, 4/9.

The picture quality combined with Shaun Marcum's...odd hat style made me thinking I was watching a circa-1997 Behind the Music during the pre-game.

Conflicting reports on how exactly Reggie Keen's hand met baseball, but either way, he's had bad luck with that sort of thing early in his pro career. See the above Journal Sentinel link for a box score.

Follow the link for a (mostly) complete box score. Rising Stars shineDave Boehler, Special to the Journal Sentinel Probably the only place Wily Peralta would rather have been Saturday other than Miller Park was in Cincinnati as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers. Peralta struck out five batters in three innings and was the only pitcher from the White team to allow a hit in a 2-0 victory over the Blue team in the first Rising Stars Game in front of 11,312 fans. "It's fun when you pitch in a big-league stadium," Peralta said. Perhaps it will be again someday. The 21-year-old right-hander, rated as the third-best prospect in the organization according to Baseball America, was briefly considered for the fifth spot in Milwaukee's rotation in spring training with No. 1 Zack Greinke out with a rib injury. But he was sent down to Class AA Huntsville after allowing 10 earned runs on 15 hits to go with seven walks in 10 innings. On Saturday, Peralta was the White's starting pitcher. He struck out four of the first six batters he faced and allowed one single before he was replaced. "I didn't change too much," Peralta said. "I threw the same stuff I threw (in spring training). The only thing I changed is I stayed more focused, and I showed what I can do." So did the rest of the pitchers. Nine of Milwaukee's top 10 prospects played in the game, and six were on the mound. There were a total of 20 strikeouts and just one walk from both teams, and the White managed just four hits. "We have a great set of minor-league coaches and they really do a good job with these guys," said Max Walla, who hit one of the two solo home runs for the White. "It was kind of a battle out here to face the kind of pitching we did. They did a great job, obviously." Dan Merklinger replaced Peralta and struck out the side in the fourth. He finished with four strikeouts in two innings. Austin Ross and Matt Miller capped off the one-hitter by throwing two innings each. Daytime shadows may have helped the pitchers. "I know a lot of our hitters came back saying, 'It's tough to see right now,'" said Matt Erickson, the manager of the White team as well as at Class A Wisconsin. "And you hear that from some of our big-league hitters during the day. Now these kids had a chance to find that out first hand." Mike Walker's leadoff single in the top of the third was the Blue's only hit. "It was probably just an instance of everybody's swing getting a little bit long because of this showcase," Walker said. "Everybody kind of wants to show off their power." In fact, when the Blue's Reggie Keen was hit by a pitch to lead off the eighth, he skipped his free pass to first base. Instead, Keen returned to the batter's box only to ground out on the next pitch. Taylor Green hit a high changeup over the right-field fence to give his team a 1-0 lead in the second. Walla added another solo homer to left field in the eighth. For Walla, just playing at Miller Park would have been good enough. "It's unreal," he said. "We watch it on TV. It's been a dream to play in the major leagues since I was tiny. Hopefully I can get there. This was absolutely wonderful to play here on this surface and this kind of stage." Fans also were treated to the new high-definition scoreboard for the first time.

Rising Stars face off in MilwaukeeAndy Call/Special to MLB.com MILWAUKEE -- Most of the players participating in the Rising Stars Game at Miller Park received polite but muted applause during pregame introductions. The longest line during the autograph session led to Triple-A Nashville manager Don Money. Then came the moment those 11,332 fans had been waiting for. "Starting at second base, number 10, Scooter Gennett." The resulting din nearly displaced the ballpark's retractable roof. True baseball fans cannot help but cheer for a guy named Scooter. The 20-year-old infielder appreciates all the support, as he continues the transition from shortstop to second base, one that proved difficult at times last summer. "I tried to do too much," Gennett admitted. "I played a little second base in high school, but I had mostly been a shortstop my whole life. Shortstop is more of a freestyle position, but you need more discipline at second base. I wasn't sure when to make the routine play or when to try for the spectacular play." Gennett made the routine plays Saturday while playing second base for the White team, a 2-0 winner during the game pitting teams made up of Milwaukee's top Minor League prospects. Gennett's fielding work included taking the relay from third baseman Taylor Green on a force play two batters after Mike Walker's single -- the only hit for the Blue team. Although Gennett was charged with 25 errors for Class A Appleton (Wis.), he also battled .309 with 39 doubles and was named a Midwest League All-Star. That earned him a promotion to advanced Class A Brevard County (Fla.) for the 2011 season. The 2009 16th-round Draft pick is now Milwaukee's No. 4 prospect, according to Baseball America. "We felt like he needed to make that transition to play in the big leagues," Brewers director of player development Reid Nichols said. "We thought his range and his ability to turn the double play would be a little better at second base. We like what we have seen. His development at second base has been consistent. He has made it a mission to get better defensively." Both sides were solid defensively during the Rising Stars game, which benefited the Brewers Community Foundation. The winning White team managed just four hits, including solo home runs by Green and Max Walla. Right-hander Cody Scarpetta, Milwaukee's No. 2 prospect according to Baseball America, worked two scoreless innings, striking out four. Last year, the 22-year-old struggled with control problems before Brevard County pitching coach Fred Dabney and Minor League pitching coordinator Lee Tunnell suggested mechanical changes that paid almost immediate dividends. "I think it was very necessary," said Scarpetta, who will begin the season at Double-A Huntsville (Ala.). "My command was really awful. My knee was flying open, then my shoulder was flying open, then the ball was going all over the place. We worked on it so hard last year. I feel really comfortable with where my mechanics are now. We're past the mechanics thing. Now it's about fine-tuning and making the proper adjustments." Scarpetta and Blue team starter Amaury Rivas combined for seven strikeouts in the first four innings, while White team pitchers Wily Peralta and Dan Merklinger struck out nine in five innings. Blue team center fielder Reggie Keen fouled a ball off his right hand while batting in the eighth inning, but stayed in the game. Matt Miller pitched the final two innings for the White team and earned the save. http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2011/04/02/ek5oxueQ.jpg Taylor Green is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the second inning. (Scott Paulus/Brewers)

That was fun. The game, including the superfluous bottom of the 9th, was played in less than two hours. Tons of strikeouts. We were sitting down the RF line for most of the game so it was tough to say much about the pitchers' pitches except their speed, but Thornburg touched 94, Heckathorn 93, Matt Miller 92, and Austin Ross 90. My dad, who's not a follower of the minor leagues, was struck by how small many of the players looked, which is understandable when you've got guys like Scooter Gennett and Caleb Gindl running around out there. Kenny Allison is imposing physically; he looks the part. Carlos George lined a ball off Ross's leg at one point, causing the trainer to come out, but Ross stayed in the game. Yadiel Rivera looked bad at the plate, but who didn't? Eric Farris hit a ball really hard but right at Allison in left field and also made a nice pick of short-hopped throw to second base to catch Allison trying to steal. Sergio Miranda has a good arm. I was happy to see Tyler Roberts get in the game and throw somebody out.

Edmonds criticizes Reds in radio interviewMark Sheldon/MLB.com CINCINNATI -- Outfielder Jim Edmonds played a total of 13 games for the Reds last season. And in a 17-year career, it is a 13-game stretch that, for the most part, he'd prefer to erase. Edmonds retired this spring because of a right Achilles tendon injury. It was something he dealt with throughout a 2010 season that began with the Brewers prior to his Aug. 9 trade to Cincinnati. Edmonds' final at-bat was a home run on Sept. 21 at Milwaukee, where he could barely circle the bases. He was finished for the season and playoffs despite numerous treatments designed to allow him to return. During a radio interview with KFNS in St. Louis that aired Thursday, the 40-year-old criticized the Reds for how his injury was handled. "It's still awful. I still can't do the things I want to do," Edmonds said. "I'm really frustrated. I don't know the right words to use towards the Cincinnati doctors. I'm in a situation now where I thought I'd never be in. I went so far in my career without really having a huge injury and had a bunch of surgeries. I thought 'Gosh, I'm going to be able to get out of this with my health, my kids will be happy and I'm hoping to be able to walk out of this.' Now I can't walk and chase my kids around. Surgery is the option right now. That would be a year rehab. I'm not looking forward to that. "The worst thing I did was accept that trade for [Reds general manager] Walt Jocketty. I should have shut it down and went home. I would be healthy right now and probably playing." Reds medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek didn't have much to say about Edmonds' comments when reached Friday evening. "I don't really want to comment," Kremchek said. "In the short time I knew him, I thought he was professional and that he really wanted to help our team toward the end of the season and playoffs. I wish him luck with his family, and that's all I can say." The day after his trade for outfielder Chris Dickerson, the Reds happened to be playing the rival Cardinals -- for whom Edmonds played from 2000-07. With both teams locked in a tight National League Central race, a nasty bench-clearing melee occurred that stemmed from inflammatory comments about the Cardinals from Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips. "Other than that one situation with that one player, they're a young, talented, nice group of guys," Edmonds said, referring to Phillips. "I think that one incident was very unfortunate and it put a black eye on the rest of the rivalry. ... He says he wouldn't take it back, but hopefully he learned from that and realizes that he was overboard there and causing another distraction that especially the Reds didn't need." Phillips responded to Edmonds comments via his Twitter feed. Wrote Phillips: LOL. Awww! That's so sweet! Trust me, there are so many things I can say about him [and] y'all would look at him different! "HATER IN DA HOUSE" Edmonds also said he felt the Reds weren't prepared enough for the National League Division Series, where they were swept in three games by the Phillies. "They're still pretty young," he said. "I kind of had a feeling that playoff situation was going to play out the way it did. It just didn't seem they were ready for that. They had that loose atmosphere that you have during the course of a season, and everything happens to go right and you can win the division. "There's a different monster when you get in the playoffs. You need some veterans and some guys to really step up, and you need to be ready to play. You could see that they weren't. They were a really young team and really naive. I'm hoping, for their sake, that it helped them a little bit."

The Rangers released RHP Ty Taubenheim, the other guy sent to the Blue Jays in the Lyle Overbay trade.