colbyjack

John Manuel has always been a very good resource and a very good writer at Baseball America. I respect his work and appreciate that he took the time to respond to Jim's question via email. I also was very excited last year when I discovered he would be covering the Brewers scouting reports instead of Tom Haudricourt. However, he's dodging the short pitcher thing. Again, I'm going to supply his initial comment on Inman: He's a bit unconventional, he's short, it's just going to be harder for him. Harder for him to receive the proper respect from scouts because he's shorter, or harder for him to succeed as he moves up because he's shorter? If it's the first point, I agree, he addressed that comment, but that is not how I took that statement. He made it sound as though he believes it will be harder for Inman to succeed because he is unconventional in the eyes of scouts. That I don't agree with, and it seems to contradict his point about the bias of short pitchers. I know, I'm nitpicking, and maybe Mr. Manuel just doesn't like to admit he was wrong http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif . If you're out there reading, thank you, and I apologize for being such a pest. Interesting pick for the best 1-2 pitching tandem in the minors in Garza & Slowey. I know SoCal posted on the MLB forum about the rumored deal with the Angels that Melvin didn't take for Carlos Lee (Jeff Mathis & Erick Aybar), but what about the rumored deal with the Twins that Melvin turned down: Kevin Slowey and Glen Perkins?

Here's a PDf link to the current CBA. I can't read it right now for whatever reason, but in there they have the content of what was supposed to happen to the draft: mlbplayers.mlb.com/pa/pdf...nglish.pdf Someone else emailed me about the supposed elimination of compensation picks. Has this come from any particular source? As far as I know, there are no new plans to change the draft. I remember last year they talked about bumping the draft back to the end of June instead of the beginning of the month, and I don't even remember the reasons as to why they were going to do that (maybe to let the college season finish?). It should be noted that among the changes talked about is the institution of the World-Wide Draft. That wasn't just talk, I remember it clearly being stated in the CBA. Of course, none of the changes were ever made.

The Brewers continue to sink, now with a .450 winning percentage, but they are holding steady with the 7th overall pick. There is a little bit of space between the Nationals ahead of them and the Rockies behind them. Games as played through 9/17 (as of 7:15 pm, with the exception of the Yankees/Red Sox game, as both teams are currently tied with the Mets and Cardinals respectively): 1. D-Rays 2. Royals 3. Cubs 4. Pirates 5. Orioles 6. Nationals 7. Brewers 8. Rockies 9. Indians 10. Mariners 11. D-Backs 12. Astros 13. Braves 14. Reds 15. Marlins 16. Giants 17. Rangers 18. Phillies 19. Dodgers 20. Padres 21. Blue Jays 22. Angels 23. Red Sox* 24. Cardinals 25. White Sox 26. A's 27. Twins 28. Tigers 29. Mets 30. Yankees If the D-Rays hold onto to top spot, it would mark the third time in their short existence that they would own the first overall pick. With all of those high first round picks alone you would think they would have had a better fate. I know the AL East is tough, but still...

A short & sweet Will Inman interview done by a new prospect blog/site, Project Prospect (with picture): projectprospect.com/2006/...inman.aspx

Thanks again and as always for your hard work and dedication Jim. I know pulling all of these resources together every day is no easy task, so a tip of the cap to you my friend. And to pogo as well for giving you some much needed breathers...

Thanks Frog, and UWRyan. I really need a proofreader http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif . Just to add to your thought, if there was any way that Miguel Cabrera became available, I would trade the farm, almost literally, to get him.

Also, since this was somewhat spurred by the player of the year idea, and not to toot my own PG horn too much, but in my column this week I assembled a minor league All-Star team, taking the best players at their respective positions that have participated at Perfect Game events. Angel Salome was nominated as my catcher, as when doing the research for this story, it was impressive to see just how good Salome's numbers were in comparison to other prospective catchers: www.perfectgame.org/crack...ar%5Fteam/

I just remembered that a few of my collegues at Perfect Game wrote a couple of columns on shorter MLB players. Jerry Ford takes his stab on the subject in the first link, David Rawnsley in the second: www.perfectgame.org/crack...5Fplayers/ www.perfectgame.org/crack...Fpitchers/ Nothing scientific in either one, just some breakdowns that are fun to look at.

Valentine and Thurman for sure. I wonder if the Brewers invited Zumwalt to the AFL as somewhat of a friendly gesture to try and get him to stick around. Justin Lehr & Allan Simpson would be nice to keep around as well. All pitchers for me, as the AAA to 4A bats seem to be easy enough to come by.

Wieters is in the class of Alex Gordon & Mark Teixeira as a slugger coming out of college. Even if he is represented by Scott Boras it's unlikely he falls to the Brewers slot (which more & more likely looks to be the 7th overall pick).

I'd say you haven't been paying attention after the draft, as Jemile Weeks was drafted last year. He has a year at Miami already under his belt, and he played for Team USA this past summer with incredible results so far. He looks as though he will be more of a true/traditional leadoff hitting second baseman than his big brother. Of all of the players the Brewers have lost to college in recent years, Jemile right now appears to be the toughest one to swallow: Miami 2006 stats Team USA 2006 stats Remember that rumor that he signed at one point in time last summer? Ouch, that hurt http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

There are very few successful RHP's under 6-0 tall...that's a fact. True enough, but as mentioned we're not talking about a guy that is sub-6' here. As pogo alluded to, I'm sure you could extend that comment past pitchers as there aren't too many players, htiters or pitchers, listed under 6' tall. And the key word is listed. I've stood close to Ben Sheets and I would question that he's 6'1" as he's listed, and I've heard Roy Oswalt is no taller than 5'10" despite being listed at 6' as well. Again as pogo pointed out, Inman is listed at 6'1" (actually 6'0" on MiLB.com) and BA is still calling him short with more factors going against him. Someone else brought up Rich Harden as an example, and if you go and look at the top 10 active leaders in ERA at baseball-reference.com, four of them are 6' tall or shorter, and Tom Glavine is listed at 6'1". That list doesn't include Roy Oswalt, Ben Sheets, Rich Harden, Johan Santana, etc. because they don't have enough innings to qualify yet.

you know, I've always had a man-crush on Tim Dillard based on the reports and stats, but I have to wonder if his sinker/slider combo has him on the radar for a setup role in the pen next year. Having our only double play pitcher in the pen being the inconsistent and high-paid Kolb might mean that the role is open for Dillard next spring training. Despite clancy's efforts to convince anyone that will listen to him that Dillard is a potential future ace, Reid Nichols has made it very clear on numerous occasions that the Brewers view Dillard as a future setup man given his hard sinker. Nichols has alluded to the fact that Dillard doesn't have an ideal repertoire for a starter at the big league level, as you don't hear much about his breaking ball nor his changeup. That doesn't mean he can't start, but if the organization views him that way I'm assuming it is for very good reason. However, I never thought of him as an option in any capacity at the big-league level next spring, which is a very intriguing thought. Can you imagine the youth (not to mention the radar gun readings) if Capellan, Turnbow, Sarfate and Dillard were setting up Cordero next season? Throw in Shouse (and/or maybe Eveland) & Wise and you have a relatively cheap and young bullpen.

Nice job getting a question in Jim, and a good one at that. He's a bit unconventional, he's short, it's just going to be harder for him. The more I read comments like this the more I don't care for them. It makes it sound as though Inman's success was a fluke. Ben Sheets, Pedro Martinez, Roy Oswalt, Greg Maddux...I could go on and on. I'm not saying Will Inman will be as good, or anywhere close, to any of those guys, but big-leaguers come in all shapes and sizes, and just because someone is short doesn't mean it is harder for them, like they have more obstacles to overcome. Sorry, a pet peeve of mine when talking prospects. And unfortunately Manuel didn't really answer your question either.

Baseball America's Playoff Dish: www.baseballamerica.com/t...62426.html SOUTHERN LEAGUE Montgomery faces Huntsville in a matchup of solid pitching rotations. The league title series doesn't start until Wednesday. The Biscuits owned a 5-4 advantage in the regular season series, even though Huntsville beat staff ace Andy Sonnanstine twice. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ignore the comment about the league title series not beginning until tomorrow (Wednesday), unless Huntsville is getting the same rain we are here in Milwaukee. If you follow the BA link from above and check out some of the other league playoff previews, you'll notice that the Royals' AA Texas League affiliate (Wichita) is facing the Astros AA affiliate (Tulsa). That really doesn't mean anything to us, but I just bring it up looking at Wichita's pitching staff: Righties Billy Buckner, Zack Greinke and Luke Hochevar and lefty Tyler Lumsden. Wow, that is one heck of a starting rotation, at least as far as prospect names are concerned, and one you could see in Kansas City in the not-so-distant future.

Link while active, text follows: www.al.com/sports/huntsvi...amp;coll=1 May days seem long ago for Stars, Biscuits Southern League's hottest teams set to meet title series Tuesday, September 12, 2006 By MARK McCARTER Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com It's been four months and a day since the Huntsville Stars and Montgomery Biscuits last met, on a strange afternoon with a 21/2-hour rain delay under sunny skies. Tonight brings a reunion - and a meeting of two of the hottest teams in all of baseball. The Southern League championship series - the I-65 Series - opens at 6:05 when the Stars host the Biscuits in the first of the best-of-five series. The Stars have won 15 of their last 16 and are 35-8 since July 21. The Biscuits have won 16 of 19. Both teams won the second half in their respective divisions, then swept through the first round of the playoffs. Montgomery knocked off Jacksonville on Saturday, then celebrated with a raucous champagne bash. The Stars were more subdued after eliminating Chattanooga, opting for pasta over partying. Andy Sonnanstine, who'll start game two of the series for the Biscuits, sat out the celebration, telling The Montgomery Advertiser, "I wasn't all that worried about not being in the champagne. We're going to have another one in a few days." The Biscuits own a 5-4 edge over Huntsville this year. Said second baseman Callix Crabbe, "This isn't going to be an easy series." Tim Dillard, who hasn't pitched since Sept. 3, will start tonight for Huntsville against Montgomery's Jeff Niemann. "I'm anxious," Dillard said. "Not only just to get back on the mound, but get out there in a playoff game. In pro ball, I've never pitched in a playoff game. To pitch the first game of the championship series, you've gotta love that." Dillard's father Steve, a former major leaguer and a coach with the Cubs' Single-A team, will be here tonight to see his son pitch for the first time this year. "We haven't even seen each other in seven months," Tim said. It seems that long since the Stars and Biscuits have seen each other. "They're kind of like us. They've got a different team," Dillard said. "They've got a lot of new faces, and so do we," said manager Don Money. The Stars' pitching staff was uncannily prepared to face Chattanooga in the previous series, and pitching coach Rich Sauveur has been doing his homework against the Biscuits. He has data stored in his Palm Pilot from the previous meetings. On Monday morning, he called Milwaukee scouts who work the California League, from where several new Montgomery players were promoted, for background. "Sometimes the little things can help," he said. Much like Huntsville, Montgomery didn't have a major overhaul, but certainly enhanced its lineup since May. The Biscuits, meanwhile, have added third baseman Evan (No-Relation-To-Eva) Longoria, shortstop Reid Brignac and outfielder Justin Ruggiano in the last month to solidify their offense, as the Stars have done with first baseman Brad Nelson, third baseman Ryan Braun and outfielder Brendan Katin. Aside from being two of the top prospects in the game, there is another tie between Braun and Longoria: Both followed Adam Heether. Braun took his job in Huntsville when his .213 average led to his demotion to Single-A. And Longoria played at Long Beach State, separated by a year from Heether. When the Biscuits were last here, on May 11, the game was scheduled for 10 a.m. and thousands of school kids were at Joe W. Davis Stadium. However, the grounds crew was unprepared for an early morning cloudburst. When Heether slipped chasing a foul ball, the game was halted in the first. After the delay, Montgomery catcher Ryan Christianson hit a grand slam. The second game was then postponed because the supply of drying chemicals had been exhausted.

Here is the series' preview information from both the Stars' site and from MiLB.com that I provided on the previous link report: Here is the info from the Stars' site: www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1008 Stars and Biscuits in Championship Series The Huntsville Stars have reached the championship of the Southern League and will take on the South division champion Montgomery Biscuits starting Tuesday, September 12th at Joe Davis Stadium at 6:05pm. The Stars swept the Chattanooga Lookouts by a combined score of 21-5, while Montgomery swept the Jacksonville Suns in the South division series. The Stars are making their 11th playoff appearance and won the Southern League Championship in 1985, 1994, and were co-champs in 2001, while the Biscuits are making their first ever appearance in the championship series. The Stars also reached the championship round three other times, with the most recent coming in 2003 when the Stars were defeated by the Carolina Mudcats in the final game of the series. The Stars and Biscuits played nine times this season, with the Stars winning four of those games. These two teams do have a history, with the Stars playing the Biscuits in their first ever game at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, a 5-4 Stars victory. During the second game of the series, Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins will be at Joe Davis Stadium for the BC Headache Powder Pitch For A Million Contest. Tickets for both games are on sale now by calling the Stars at 882-2562, or you can order online at www.huntsvillestars.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Here's MiLB's preview of the series: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...;fext=.jsp Southern League Championship Series Preview Montgomery Biscuits vs. Huntsville Stars By Lisa Winston / MLB.com Montgomery Biscuits vs. Huntsville Stars (Best-of-5) Game 1: Tue., Sept. 12 -- Montgomery at Huntsville, 7:05 p.m. ET (Jeff Niemann vs. Tim Dillard) Game 2: Wed., Sept. 13 -- Montgomery at Huntsville, 7:05 p.m. ET Game 3: Thu., Sept. 14 -- Huntsville at Montgomery, 8:05 p.m. ET Game 4: Fri., Sept. 15 -- Huntsville at Montgomery, 8:05 p.m. ET (if necessary) Game 5: Sat., Sept. 16 -- Huntsville at Montgomery 8:05 p.m. ET (if necessary) Season series: Montgomery, 5-4. Due to the odd and unbalanced schedule in the 10-team Southern League, you can pretty much throw out the results since all nine of the teams' head-to-head games (there was a rainout that was never made up) were played by May 11. Many of the top stars on both teams were not involved in any of those contests, among them Montgomery's Game 1 starter Jeff Niemann, pitcher Mitch Talbot who was brilliant in Game 3, infielders Reid Brignac and Evan Longoria, and red-hot hitters Johnny Raburn and Justin Ruggiano, as well as Huntsville's three young starters Yovani Gallardo, Steve Hammond and Manny Parra, slugging third baseman Ryan Braun, and first baseman Brad Nelson, who was the Stars' top hitter in the semifinals. Head-to-head: Montgomery The Biscuits batted .247 against the Stars in their nine games and posted a 2.77 ERA. OF Jeremy Owens had the most success of any hitter on either team in head-to-head competition, batting .321. 2B Elliot Johnson hit .281 with a pair of homers. DH Michael Coleman hit .273. The only two members of the Montgomery rotation to face Huntsville were ace Andrew Sonnanstine (0-2, 3.95 in two starters) and starter/reliever Tony Peguero (2.70 in two starts). Huntsville Given the fact that Huntsville was 24-45 in the first half, it's not surprising that the Stars hit just .202 against Montgomery, though they could boast a 2.34 ERA. RHP Tim Dillard, who did not pitch in the semifinals but is slated to start the opener of the finals, had a 2.38 ERA in two starts, while veteran Corey Thurman had an 0-2 record but a 3.00 ERA in two starts. Among the hitters who are still there, 2B Callix Crabbe batted .200, OF Steve Moss hit .154, C Lou Palmisano batted .063 and OF Ron Acuna batted .188. Only SS Ozzie Chavez had any success with a .290 average. Who's Hot, Who's Not? Montgomery Ruggiano, who had missed the last several days of the regular season with strep throat, returned to face his former team, Jacksonville, and hit a semifinal series-best .417 with three RBIs in three games. Sonnanstine tossed seven shutout innings in his semifinal outing, walking one and striking out nine. Longoria delivered a two-run walk-off homer in the clincher and hit .308 in the semifinals. Talbot, acquired from Houston in the midseason trade for Aubrey Huff, fanned 14 without walking a batter in the clincher, sparkling with a complete game five-hit shutout. Johnson hit .308 in the semifinals while Owens and Raburn both hit .400. Brignac went 0-for-11 in the semifinal series, while Coleman hit just .125 though he did add a homer. Huntsville The Stars had brilliant starting pitching in their three-game sweep of Chattanooga. Thurman got things started in the opener with seven innings of two-hit shutout ball. Gallardo went six innings in his start, striking out 10 and giving up one run on four hits in his eighth double-digit strikeout game of the summer. In the clincher, Parra allowed two runs over five innings, fanning eight. Acuna and Nelson each hit .333 in the semifinals, while SS Brendan Katin batted .300 and Crabbe and Palmisano hit .273 apiece. Braun batted just .231 in the three-game set, while Moss hit just .214. On the mound Montgomery Niemann, the announced starter for Game 1, was the Devil Rays' first pick in 2004 out of Rice. Joining the club in late May as he came off of injury rehab, he was 5-5 with a 2.68 ERA in 77 1/3 innings. The Biscuits have not announced the rest of the rotation, but if it follows suit with the semifinal plan, you would see Sonnanstine in Game 2, Talbot in Game 3, LHP Jason Cromer in Game 4 and Peguero in Game 5. Sonnanstine, a Southern League All-Star, was 15-8 with a 2.67 ERA during the regular season. Talbot posted a 1.90 ERA in his time with the Biscuits post-trade, leading all Southern League pitchers with 47 strikeouts in August. Cromer tossed five shutout innings in his last regular-season start to lower his ERA to 2.58. Peguero posted a 2.97 ERA on the season, seeing time in both relief and the rotation. Huntsville Gallardo is one of the leading contenders for Minor League Pitcher of the Year with a 1.86 ERA and a Minor League-best 188 strikeouts in 155 innings between Advanced-A Brevard County and Huntsville. However due to his innings total, he may not pitch again this series. The pre-playoff word had been that he would pitch one more game in the playoffs, so his masterful six innings in Game 2 may have been Gallardo's last game. Similarly, Hammond (2.93) was in the same situation, but due to the three-game sweep he did not pitch in the semifinals so would still be available to the Stars when called upon. Thurman was seventh in the league with a 2.96 ERA, as he returned from shoulder surgery which had wiped out virtually all of 2005. Dillard was fourth in the league with 10 wins and had a 3.15 ERA. Parra posted a 2.96 ERA at Brevard before joining the Stars in August and a 2.87 ERA in six starts after that. At the plate Montgomery Brignac was the California League MVP before joining Montgomery, hitting .326 with 21 homers and 83 RBIs there. Combined between the two stops he's ranked among the Minor League leaders in hits (sixth), runs (ninth) and total bases (sixth). Longoria was the club's top pick this past June out of Long Beach State, and he hit six home runs and had 19 RBIs after joining the Biscuits in August. Ruggiano ranked among the Southern League leaders in doubles, on-base average and slugging as well as runs scored between Jacksonville and Montgomery. Raburn, a utility infielder who has been a sparkplug everywhere, hit .290 with 20 steals. Veteran Coleman led the team with 17 home runs. Johnson has power for the middle infield and hit .281 with 15 homers, 50 RBIs and 20 steals. Huntsville Crabbe is a force at the top of the lineup with 32 steals, fourth in the Southern League. He hit .361 with 17 of his steals in August alone. Braun, the Brewers' first pick in 2005, joined the team after the All-Star break and hit .309 with 15 home runs and 40 RBIs. Nelson was hot down the stretch with a .333 average, four home runs and 16 RBIs in August. Points of Interest Both teams in the all-Alabama championship series were second-half division champions who won their first two semifinal games on the road and came home to complete the three-game sweeps. As a result, even with bumping up the starting date for the best-of-5 finals from Wednesday, Sept. 13, to Tuesday, Sept. 12, both teams will be able to adjust their pitching rotations to their best advantage. ... Huntsville has got three Southern League titles under its belt, most recently in 2001 when the Stars were named co-champions with Jacksonville, as the series was canceled due to 9/11. This is their 11th postseason appearance. ... The Stars got their nickname because of nearby NASA operations. Series Could Turn On These two teams are evenly matched and both came into the postseason riding hot streaks. With time to set their rotations to maximum advantage, but with little relevant head-to-head results to go on, this becomes an even harder one to call because of the wild-card status of two of Huntsville's young pitchers, Steven Hammond and Yovani Gallardo. Montgomery, however, is in good shape with five strong starters ready to roll in whatever order the Biscuits see fit to use them, and that's why we're going with this pick. Our prediction: Montgomery.

I know Mass Haas has been having some technical difficulties, and since there is only one minor league affiliate still in action, I figured all of the Huntsville Stars' playoff games could be covered in one thread. Audio link for all of the games: www.espn1450radio.com/ Here's the schedule for the Southern League Championship series between the Huntsville Stars and the Montgomery Biscuits (all times CST): Game 1: 09/12/06 06:05PM MON @ HUN Game 2: 09/13/06 06:05PM MON @ HUN Game 3: 09/14/06 07:05PM HUN @ MON Game 4: 09/15/06 07:05PM HUN @ MON (If Necessary) Game 5: 09/16/06 07:05PM HUN @ MON (If Necessary) Game One, Tuesday 9/12: Huntsville: RHP Tim Dillard at home vs. Montgomery (Devil Rays) RHP Jeff Niemann, 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1 Game Two, Wednesday 9/13: Huntsville: RHP Corey Thurman at home vs. Montgomery (Devil Rays) RHP Andrew Sonnanstine, 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime www.minorleaguebaseball.c...mp;lid=111 Game Three, Thursday 9/14: Huntsville: RHP Yovani Gallardo on the road vs. Montgomery (Devil Rays) RHP Mitch Talbot, 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime www.minorleaguebaseball.c...mp;lid=111 Game Four, Friday 9/15: Huntsville: LHP Manny Parra on the road vs. Montgomery (Devil Rays) LHP Jason Cromer, 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime www.minorleaguebaseball.c...d=20060915

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No game today, as the Southern League championship series between the Huntsville Stars and the Montgomery Biscuits starts tomorrow. Gametime is 6:05 CST. The Biscuits, like the Stars, are highlighted by quite a few big name prospects. Evan Longoria, the 3rd overall pick in June's draft, is their best hitter, but SS Reid Brignac isn't that far behind him. Towering RHP and former 4th overall pick Jeff Niemann highlights their pitching staff. Here is the info from the Stars' site: www.huntsvillestars.com/n...ewsId=1008 Stars and Biscuits in Championship Series The Huntsville Stars have reached the championship of the Southern League and will take on the South division champion Montgomery Biscuits starting Tuesday, September 12th at Joe Davis Stadium at 6:05pm. The Stars swept the Chattanooga Lookouts by a combined score of 21-5, while Montgomery swept the Jacksonville Suns in the South division series. The Stars are making their 11th playoff appearance and won the Southern League Championship in 1985, 1994, and were co-champs in 2001, while the Biscuits are making their first ever appearance in the championship series. The Stars also reached the championship round three other times, with the most recent coming in 2003 when the Stars were defeated by the Carolina Mudcats in the final game of the series. The Stars and Biscuits played nine times this season, with the Stars winning four of those games. These two teams do have a history, with the Stars playing the Biscuits in their first ever game at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, a 5-4 Stars victory. During the second game of the series, Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins will be at Joe Davis Stadium for the BC Headache Powder Pitch For A Million Contest. Tickets for both games are on sale now by calling the Stars at 882-2562, or you can order online at www.huntsvillestars.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Here's MiLB's preview of the series: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...;fext=.jsp Southern League Championship Series Preview Montgomery Biscuits vs. Huntsville Stars By Lisa Winston / MLB.com Montgomery Biscuits vs. Huntsville Stars (Best-of-5) Game 1: Tue., Sept. 12 -- Montgomery at Huntsville, 7:05 p.m. ET (Jeff Niemann vs. Tim Dillard) Game 2: Wed., Sept. 13 -- Montgomery at Huntsville, 7:05 p.m. ET Game 3: Thu., Sept. 14 -- Huntsville at Montgomery, 8:05 p.m. ET Game 4: Fri., Sept. 15 -- Huntsville at Montgomery, 8:05 p.m. ET (if necessary) Game 5: Sat., Sept. 16 -- Huntsville at Montgomery 8:05 p.m. ET (if necessary) Season series: Montgomery, 5-4. Due to the odd and unbalanced schedule in the 10-team Southern League, you can pretty much throw out the results since all nine of the teams' head-to-head games (there was a rainout that was never made up) were played by May 11. Many of the top stars on both teams were not involved in any of those contests, among them Montgomery's Game 1 starter Jeff Niemann, pitcher Mitch Talbot who was brilliant in Game 3, infielders Reid Brignac and Evan Longoria, and red-hot hitters Johnny Raburn and Justin Ruggiano, as well as Huntsville's three young starters Yovani Gallardo, Steve Hammond and Manny Parra, slugging third baseman Ryan Braun, and first baseman Brad Nelson, who was the Stars' top hitter in the semifinals. Head-to-head: Montgomery The Biscuits batted .247 against the Stars in their nine games and posted a 2.77 ERA. OF Jeremy Owens had the most success of any hitter on either team in head-to-head competition, batting .321. 2B Elliot Johnson hit .281 with a pair of homers. DH Michael Coleman hit .273. The only two members of the Montgomery rotation to face Huntsville were ace Andrew Sonnanstine (0-2, 3.95 in two starters) and starter/reliever Tony Peguero (2.70 in two starts). Huntsville Given the fact that Huntsville was 24-45 in the first half, it's not surprising that the Stars hit just .202 against Montgomery, though they could boast a 2.34 ERA. RHP Tim Dillard, who did not pitch in the semifinals but is slated to start the opener of the finals, had a 2.38 ERA in two starts, while veteran Corey Thurman had an 0-2 record but a 3.00 ERA in two starts. Among the hitters who are still there, 2B Callix Crabbe batted .200, OF Steve Moss hit .154, C Lou Palmisano batted .063 and OF Ron Acuna batted .188. Only SS Ozzie Chavez had any success with a .290 average. Who's Hot, Who's Not? Montgomery Ruggiano, who had missed the last several days of the regular season with strep throat, returned to face his former team, Jacksonville, and hit a semifinal series-best .417 with three RBIs in three games. Sonnanstine tossed seven shutout innings in his semifinal outing, walking one and striking out nine. Longoria delivered a two-run walk-off homer in the clincher and hit .308 in the semifinals. Talbot, acquired from Houston in the midseason trade for Aubrey Huff, fanned 14 without walking a batter in the clincher, sparkling with a complete game five-hit shutout. Johnson hit .308 in the semifinals while Owens and Raburn both hit .400. Brignac went 0-for-11 in the semifinal series, while Coleman hit just .125 though he did add a homer. Huntsville The Stars had brilliant starting pitching in their three-game sweep of Chattanooga. Thurman got things started in the opener with seven innings of two-hit shutout ball. Gallardo went six innings in his start, striking out 10 and giving up one run on four hits in his eighth double-digit strikeout game of the summer. In the clincher, Parra allowed two runs over five innings, fanning eight. Acuna and Nelson each hit .333 in the semifinals, while SS Brendan Katin batted .300 and Crabbe and Palmisano hit .273 apiece. Braun batted just .231 in the three-game set, while Moss hit just .214. On the mound Montgomery Niemann, the announced starter for Game 1, was the Devil Rays' first pick in 2004 out of Rice. Joining the club in late May as he came off of injury rehab, he was 5-5 with a 2.68 ERA in 77 1/3 innings. The Biscuits have not announced the rest of the rotation, but if it follows suit with the semifinal plan, you would see Sonnanstine in Game 2, Talbot in Game 3, LHP Jason Cromer in Game 4 and Peguero in Game 5. Sonnanstine, a Southern League All-Star, was 15-8 with a 2.67 ERA during the regular season. Talbot posted a 1.90 ERA in his time with the Biscuits post-trade, leading all Southern League pitchers with 47 strikeouts in August. Cromer tossed five shutout innings in his last regular-season start to lower his ERA to 2.58. Peguero posted a 2.97 ERA on the season, seeing time in both relief and the rotation. Huntsville Gallardo is one of the leading contenders for Minor League Pitcher of the Year with a 1.86 ERA and a Minor League-best 188 strikeouts in 155 innings between Advanced-A Brevard County and Huntsville. However due to his innings total, he may not pitch again this series. The pre-playoff word had been that he would pitch one more game in the playoffs, so his masterful six innings in Game 2 may have been Gallardo's last game. Similarly, Hammond (2.93) was in the same situation, but due to the three-game sweep he did not pitch in the semifinals so would still be available to the Stars when called upon. Thurman was seventh in the league with a 2.96 ERA, as he returned from shoulder surgery which had wiped out virtually all of 2005. Dillard was fourth in the league with 10 wins and had a 3.15 ERA. Parra posted a 2.96 ERA at Brevard before joining the Stars in August and a 2.87 ERA in six starts after that. At the plate Montgomery Brignac was the California League MVP before joining Montgomery, hitting .326 with 21 homers and 83 RBIs there. Combined between the two stops he's ranked among the Minor League leaders in hits (sixth), runs (ninth) and total bases (sixth). Longoria was the club's top pick this past June out of Long Beach State, and he hit six home runs and had 19 RBIs after joining the Biscuits in August. Ruggiano ranked among the Southern League leaders in doubles, on-base average and slugging as well as runs scored between Jacksonville and Montgomery. Raburn, a utility infielder who has been a sparkplug everywhere, hit .290 with 20 steals. Veteran Coleman led the team with 17 home runs. Johnson has power for the middle infield and hit .281 with 15 homers, 50 RBIs and 20 steals. Huntsville Crabbe is a force at the top of the lineup with 32 steals, fourth in the Southern League. He hit .361 with 17 of his steals in August alone. Braun, the Brewers' first pick in 2005, joined the team after the All-Star break and hit .309 with 15 home runs and 40 RBIs. Nelson was hot down the stretch with a .333 average, four home runs and 16 RBIs in August. Points of Interest Both teams in the all-Alabama championship series were second-half division champions who won their first two semifinal games on the road and came home to complete the three-game sweeps. As a result, even with bumping up the starting date for the best-of-5 finals from Wednesday, Sept. 13, to Tuesday, Sept. 12, both teams will be able to adjust their pitching rotations to their best advantage. ... Huntsville has got three Southern League titles under its belt, most recently in 2001 when the Stars were named co-champions with Jacksonville, as the series was canceled due to 9/11. This is their 11th postseason appearance. ... The Stars got their nickname because of nearby NASA operations. Series Could Turn On These two teams are evenly matched and both came into the postseason riding hot streaks. With time to set their rotations to maximum advantage, but with little relevant head-to-head results to go on, this becomes an even harder one to call because of the wild-card status of two of Huntsville's young pitchers, Steven Hammond and Yovani Gallardo. Montgomery, however, is in good shape with five strong starters ready to roll in whatever order the Biscuits see fit to use them, and that's why we're going with this pick. Our prediction: Montgomery. Boo to the prediction, although Yo's status as noted in the notes really could make or break this series. Hammond should still have one more start in him, although he hasn't pitched as well down the stretch. Nice to see Dillard ready to go in the first game. Oh yeah, wouldn't it be pretty cool if Katin WAS a shortstop? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Rookie ball to AA is a crazy jump, and it's unprecedented in the Brewers' system, at least under Jack Z's watch. We've talked about this so many times now, I really don't know where Gillespie will be at, but I'm starting to think that he'll start next year in West Virginia with a strong chance to end up in AA by season's end. Skipping two levels is crazy, and as noted, there's no reason to hold back one of Brantley/Ford/Cain to move Gillespie up to BC, even if he's worthy. I still think the more likely scenario is Cain to AA & Gillespie joins Brantley & Ford in the BC OF. And while we've thrown out a lot of names pointing to why (not) Gillespie will struggle as he moves up, how about Brendan Katin? He was drafted in '05, yet found his way to AA by the end of his first pro season and put up some pretty good numbers at hitter unfriendly BC.

We've been projecting a Weeks-like progression for Braun ever since the Brewers drafted him. All that's missing for Braun to follow in Week's footsteps to the big leagues is a big AFL this fall and a strong start to the '07 season.

Nashville site Game Summary: Link for Ben Hendrickson photo, text follows -- www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2153 Sounds Season Ends With 8-0 Loss To Express ROUND ROCK, Texas ? The reign is over. The defending PCL champion Nashville Sounds had their quest to repeat come to an end on Sunday afternoon at The Dell Diamond with an 8-0 loss to the Round Rock Express in the final game of the PCL American Conference Finals. The victory gave the Express a 3-2 series win and a berth in the PCL Championship Series, where they will face the Pacific Conference champion Tucson Sidewinders in a best-of-five set beginning on Tuesday in Tucson. Nashville failed in its attempt to advance to the Pacific Coast League Championship Series for the third time in four seasons. The loss also marked the first time since 1984 that the Sounds made the playoffs but failed to advance to the league finals, a span of six postseason appearances. Express starter Ezequiel Astacio (1-0) threw a gem for the home club, firing a seven-hit shutout ? his first complete game and shutout of the year. The right-hander allowed only three Sounds to reach scoring position on the afternoon. Astacio struck out four and walked one batter during his 111-pitch effort. Round Rock jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning against Sounds starter Ben Hendrickson. Mike Rodriguez opened the frame with a four-pitch walk and later scored the game?s first run on a Brooks Conrad sacrifice fly. Hector Gimenez, who enjoyed an outstanding series at the plate for the Express (9-for-18, .500), doubled the advantage with a two-out RBI single to right and Royce Huffman followed with a run-scoring knock of his own to up the home team?s advantage to three. After Hendrickson settled down and tossed three straight scoreless frames through the fourth, the Express doubled their lead to 6-0 in the fifth on former Sound J.R. House?s sacrifice fly and a two-out, two-run bases-loaded single from Jesse Garcia. Round Rock continued to pull away in the sixth when Joe McEwing slugged a two-run homer to left off Sounds reliever Chris Demaria, making it an 8-0 game. The blast was the infielder?s first of the postseason. Graham Koonce went 2-for-4 for the Sounds, the club?s lone multiple-hit effort of the afternoon. Hendrickson (0-1) took the loss for the Sounds after giving up six runs on seven hits over his five frames of action. The six runs matched the most the right-hander allowed in any start for Nashville all season. He walked three batters (all of which scored) and struck out three while hitting two batters on the afternoon. Baseball returns to Greer Stadium in April 2007 when the Sounds open their 30th season of competition. Season tickets are available now by calling 615-242-4371 or visiting the Greer Stadium box office. Audio: 2006 Season Highlights www.nashvillesounds.com/a...Season.mp3

Final: Round Rock 8, Nashville 0 Instead of starting a new thread since the game is already over and done with, I wanted to point out that Nashville loses today, 8-0, and therefore is knocked out of the playoffs. The Sounds did a nice job bouncing back in the postseason at least, stretching out the season a few more games when they seemed to be down & out quickly. Ben Hendrickson really struggled after the month of July. Round Rock's starter, Ezequiel Astacio, on the other hand pitches a gem: A complete game shutout. Nashville Box Score and Game Log: www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_rreaaa_1 Of course, we're already aware of the big-league call-ups that accompanied this loss. It is hard to root against any of the affiliates, but I know I was one among many that wanted to see a few of the players called up for the rest of September (Tony Gwynn Jr. in particular). Drew Anderson of course was a pleasant surprise, while Carlos Villanueva might be up to help the Brewers decide whether or not they want to keep Tomo Ohka around for next year. Go Stars! EDIT: Remember when the Brewers were trying to sign J.R. House last offseason? He really had one heck of a year at the plate in the Astros' organization.

PG Crosschecker's Jeff Simpson (Allan's son) has recently compiled the Cape Cod League's top 100 prospects (subscribers): www.pgcrosschecker.com/su..._6_06.aspx I don't want to sound like I'm a corporate stooge constantly pumping up PG Crosschecker, but they really have some features that have taken familiar lists from sources such as Baseball America and have taken them another step further (such as the top 100 prospects on the Cape). Blaine Clemmons also has a list of the top 50 prospects from the Area Code Games up on the homepage. You can find top prospect lists from the PG National and the East Coast Professional Showcase. Those three events along with the Aflac All-American Classic are arguably the best collective talent showcases during the summer. Of course, you have reports from the WWBA (another division of PG) tournament events making the player info to be found at PGCC truly astounding. If you're a draft nut like yours truly, enough so to have a subscription at BA, you have to sign up for one at PG Crosschecker. For the rest of you, I don't think my articles are subscriber-based http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .