TheCrew07

Mock Draft 3.0: Holding Pattern

Loaded with divisional prospects today. Tuesday Prospect Notebook: Billy Hamilton Takes Off

His audio interview linked by MH here and also by someone on the MLB forum about the state of the franchise. I forget which day, maybe last Friday?

While the injury thing is absolutely true, the only 2 players the Brewers didn't get compensation for were Sheets and Marcum, and both were major injury risks. I'm certainly willing to concede that you and/or the organization didn't view Marcum that way, but a large percentage of the fanbase on this site did. Having LAA get that pick in front of us for Teixeira which ultimately became Trout stung but it wasn't bad luck, that's how the compensation system works. Trying to get a compensation pick out of K-Rod failed miserably as well, and he wasn't hurt. The Brewers just haven't been very good at the whole organization building game and there are multiple reasons why. I've never been a fan of the "and we'll get a compensation pick" argument tagged to rental players because clearly anything can and will happen to impact those selections. Not mention the Brewers haven't exactly hit any home runs with those supplemental selections, only Jake Odorizzi looks to have a solid MLB career in front of him.

The North team has 6 players from the Pirates. It's power vs. contact for SAL All-Stars

Yes that's the same guy who never appeared for the Brewers as a pitcher, though I'm not sure why you are citing .1 IP? I thought Melvin bagging on Olt and Profar was in poor taste, I think both will be fine. Olt homers in return from vision issues

Again he doesn't have the arm to play the left side of the IF, so no... maybe with the bat but I think that's setting the bar awful low. Scooter has a much better hit tool than Craig had, but won't take as many walks and little positional versatility.

Not draft related but I think this is a pretty neat concept, I hope it works out well. Perfect Game Super25 to debut

MLB Draft Reports: 151-200

Holy Biscuits... good news for Appel who likely becomes the #1 overall this year. I know the article says some execs don't see this affecting their draft stock but how it could not give teams pause? Just because it's being made public so late in the game? Gray, Blair Test Positive For Adderall

As I said yesterday... Hamilton legs out inside-the-parker

I hope you have a great time in Milwaukee MH. If there was anyway I could make the trip down to Miller Park either of the next 2 days I would as I owe you a beer and a meal, or 20... Unfortunately I'm heading the other direction (north) for work.

You may think Jungmann's curve was "big" but it wasn't good in college and apparently isn't all that good now. Hall's velocity has never improved, he's no more high ceiling than Anundsen was. I didn't know much about Bradley on draft day but clearly he's not a high ceiling arm if he's going to work in the upper 80s and low 90s as a professional. Inman and Scarpetta were mostly tapped out on draft day, they didn't have much if any projection left... etc, etc, etc. I already ran down the list of pitchers who were drafted that truly had the potential to be top of the rotation types in the pitching thread on the MLB forum. I'm not going to repeat that effort here.

The A's have done much better through trades and International signings than they have through the draft. They were of the first organizations to focus more on floor (college players) than ceiling and it killed their farm system for quite a while. Fairly similar to the Twins and Padres, if you look at the sheer number of picks many of the organizations have wasted in the first round it's a sobering number. Unfortunately most of the teams that have drafted and signed well internationally are within our division, at least over the last 4-5 years anyway. Wilken righted the Cubs' ship right away and the Cards, Reds, and Pirates were already on a good path... meanwhile the Brewers haven't done much other than Segura, who's great, but offense hasn't been our issue. Hopefully Pena can keep it going and the Greinke trade will pay off again, I always felt Pena had the higher ceiling between him and Hellweg, but Hellweg has the higher floor.

I don't think it's fair to characterize people who are being realistic about Gennett as "they are rooting against him". The same ideas were tossed around last year about Fiers even when he was performing well. I think the idea here is to set realistic expectations about a player's possible performance. I'm not going use MLEs because I think they are a waste of time, instead I try to project the player based on reasonable middle ground performance. I'm not going to get overly worked up when a young player struggles for a couple of months early in his career, I believe in being patient and giving that player a chance to grow into his role. Some guys are going to be like Braun and perform right away, others like Segura who take time to build into their role, some like Parra may never get it. I just want them to be able to play without looking over their shoulder worried about a bad performance sending them back to the minors or the bench. When a player like McGehee, Fiers, or Gennett starts their Brewer career out super hot that doesn't mean his career arc will be greater than his physical talent would suggest. While some players like Marcum certainly will overachieve for their career, they are the exception to the rule. Scooter doesn't have much power, much speed, much arm strength, or play good defense. I'll be happy if he turns into a league average hitter with league average defense at 2B until someone better would come along. It's been easy hate on Weeks because he's never become that player which his physical talents would suggest he could be. He was miscast as a lead off hitter for too long because the team didn't have a better option and he's drawn the continual venom of the fanbase for much of his career. I'm indifferent to Rickie but to me this is no different than what happened with Hardy in 2009... making a move to satisfy a contract issue while appearing to be looking to "better" the MLB team. The reality here is that the pitching is our problem, has been our problem, and will continue to be our problem until it is permanently addressed. Weeks wouldn't matter if the pitching was decent enough the team was winning so that every AB wasn't over analyzed, even the best players get out 60% of the time. Scooter isn't a high ceiling pitcher so this move will mean very little for this season or in the grand scheme. We should be spending our time debating how to acquire young pitching not whether a prospect will outperform an established MLB position player. Even if we score more runs, start winning games, and make the playoffs, we're a one and done team with our pitching as is. Hopefully Peralta and Gallardo will ascend but the rest of the guys have been pretty much what their talent would suggest. People will talk about Estrada's K rate but ignore the fact that he's a gopher ball pitcher who's prone to the big inning. Sure he looks great for 4 innings a start, but you know he's going to give up 3+ at some point. Lohse is another in a long of control pitchers, when he doesn't have it, he's going to get smacked around. Same with Fiers, Narveson, Burgos, or any other pitcher we throw out there with averagish velocity. They can be successful when they locate and mix their pitches well, but they don't have the pure stuff to overcome starts when they don't have it. You don't build around control pitchers, you build around talent like Gallardo at age 24, and if we don't have it we'd better go find it. Rounding out the rotation with control pitchers is fine, but the top 3 slots better have legit talent. Until Scooter can pitch 7 innings of 2 run ball honestly I could care less where he plays. I'm not rooting against him, in fact I hope he does well, but he's not going to change our fortunes by himself, nor is a platoon with Weeks going to be a difference for the team in 2013. It will certainly save the team money in 2015 (which is huge), but this move won't suddenly make the Brewers a .500 ball club from here on out.

You have no clue if he is eventually going to be a utility man or a regular starter in the Majors. No clue at all. How about we let him play some in the Majors before we act like we know what he will do. Well he's not a utility player because he no utility, just like Eric Farris, as he's a 2B only. He doesn't have the arm the for the left side of the IF so it's 2B or bust.

Well Michael Hunt said so therefore it must be true.

LHP Eliecer Navarro of the Pirates is the only divisional winner this week. Pitchers of the Week

The division is shut out this week. Offensive Players of the Week

Final: Peoria (Cards) 11, Wisconsin 7 Rattlers drop final game of series to Peoria Peoria takes charge with five runs in the fourth inning By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Peoria Chiefs defeated the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 11-7 Monday afternoon at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Jordan Walton had three this and four RBI to help Peoria build an insurmountable lead early in the game. The teams traded runs in the first inning. Breyvic Valera doubled to start the game for Peoria. Ildemaro Vargas bunted for a sacrifice, but there was a miscommunication on the bunt defense and the throw to first went down the right field line to let Valera score. The Rattlers answered when Tyrone Taylor drove in Michael Reed with a single in the bottom of the inning. The Chiefs (30-25) pushed back in front with three runs in the top of the second inning. They had runners on first and third with one out and Gerwuins Velazco drove in the go ahead run with a sacrifice fly. Valera followed with a two-out, two-run triple for a 4-1 lead. Wisconsin (24-29) cut the Peoria lead back to one with single runs in the second and third innings. Mike Garza tripled to start the second. Max Walla picked up an RBI with a ground out that scored Garza. Adam Giacalone drove in Reed with a two out single in the third and the Rattlers trailed 4-3. But, Peoria scored five times in the top of the fourth inning to take control of the game. Rattlers starting pitcher Preston Gainey walked the first two batters of the inning and was replaced by Taylor Wall. Velazco was asked to bunt the runners along, but got more than he was expecting. The bunt to third was fielded cleanly, but the throw to first bounced into right field A run scored on the play. Then, Valera followed with an RBI single and the Chiefs were just getting started. A sacrifice bunt by Vargas moved both Velazco and Valera up a base. Wall walked Jacob Wilson intentionally to load the bases and set up a possible inning ending double play. Jordan Walton foiled that plan by dropping a single in to short right to drove in two runs. The play also put runners on the corners with one out. Wall retired the next batter for the second out and had an 0-2 count on Jeremy Schaffer. Then, Wall - a left-hander - bluffed a throw to third base. Due to a rule change this past offseason, pitchers may no longer bluff to third. The play was ruled a balk and Wilson trotted home with the run that made it 9-3. Peoria starting pitcher Silfredo Garcia allowed three runs on six hits, walked one, and struck out six over seven innings on Monday to pick up his second win of the year. The Chiefs tacked on two more runs with two outs in the eighth inning. Walton doubled to drive in Vargas and Wilson for an 11-3 lead. Wisconsin scraped for some runs late to get close. Victor Roache single and took second on a wild pitch with one out in the eighth. Garza singled him home. In the ninth, Orlando Arcia singled with two outs to knock in Brent Dean. Tyrone Taylor followed with an infield single, his second hit of the game, to extend the game. Giacalone struck out put the ball got away from the Peoria catcher to let Giacalone reach and Arcia score from third base. Roache kept the rally going with a single to drive in Taylor but 11-7 was as close as the Rattlers would get. Peoria took three of four from the Rattlers in this series and leads the season series 7-4. The Timber Rattlers are off on Tuesday and return to action against the Beloit Snappers on Wednesday night against the Beloit Snappers. Tyler Wagner (5-3, 2.88) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Austin House (0-4, 3.62) is set to start for the Snappers. Game time on Wednesday is 7:05pm. Area teachers may claim a complimentary ticket by contacting the group sales department before the game as part of Educator Appreciation Night presented by Bubrick's Complete Office. Click this link for full details on Educator Appreciation Night. Also, enjoy Cher-Make hotdogs, Pepsi products, and Miller beer for $1 on a WIXX Bang for Your Buck Night. If you can't make it out to the stadium, tune in for the television broadcast on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel. The radio call is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:45pm. The game is also available to subscribers of MiLB.TV. WP: Silfredo Garcia (2-1) LP: Preston Gainey (1-5) TIME: 3:09 ATTN: 3,651 A thorough analysis of the series as a whole here. Series Finale – Postgame post for June 3, 2013 Wisconsin Boxscore When you pitch poorly and play bad defense you aren't going to win many games which was certainly the case here. Wisconsin Recap Here's the full detail of the 3 innings which did the Rattlers in. Peoria Top of the 2nd Jeremy Schaffer strikes out swinging. Charlie Tilson singles on a bunt ground ball to catcher Brent Dean. Nick Martini singles on a ground ball to right fielder Max Walla. Charlie Tilson to 3rd. Gerwuins Velazco out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Tyrone Taylor. Charlie Tilson scores. Breyvic Valera singles on a line drive to left fielder Victor Roache. Nick Martini to 2nd. Ildemaro Vargas triples (2) on a fly ball to right fielder Max Walla. Nick Martini scores. Breyvic Valera scores. Jacob Wilson grounds out, shortstop Orlando Arcia to first baseman Adam Giacalone. Peoria Top of the 4th Charlie Tilson walks. Nick Martini walks. Charlie Tilson to 2nd. Pitching Change: Taylor Wall replaces Preston Gainey. Gerwuins Velazco hits a sacrifice bunt. Throwing error by third baseman Mike Garza. Charlie Tilson scores. Nick Martini to 3rd. Gerwuins Velazco to 1st. Breyvic Valera singles on a ground ball to left fielder Victor Roache. Nick Martini scores. Gerwuins Velazco to 2nd. Ildemaro Vargas out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Taylor Wall to second baseman Adrian Williams. Gerwuins Velazco to 3rd. Breyvic Valera to 2nd. Taylor Wall intentionally walks Jacob Wilson. Jordan Walton singles on a line drive to right fielder Max Walla. Gerwuins Velazco scores. Breyvic Valera scores. Jacob Wilson to 3rd. Patrick Wisdom pops out to catcher Brent Dean in foul territory. With Jeremy Schaffer batting, Jacob Wilson scores on a balk. Jordan Walton advances to 2nd on a balk. Jeremy Schaffer flies out to center fielder Tyrone Taylor. Peoria Top of the 8th Gerwuins Velazco grounds out, third baseman Mike Garza to first baseman Adam Giacalone. Breyvic Valera grounds out, second baseman Adrian Williams to first baseman Adam Giacalone. Ildemaro Vargas doubles (8) on a fly ball to right fielder Max Walla. Jacob Wilson walks. Jordan Walton doubles (8) on a fly ball to right fielder Max Walla. Ildemaro Vargas scores. Jacob Wilson scores. Patrick Wisdom called out on strikes. At least the Rattlers battled into the off day. Wisconsin Bottom of the 9th Pitching Change: Michael Aldrete replaces Joe Donofrio. Brent Dean singles on a line drive to right fielder Nick Martini. Adrian Williams walks. Brent Dean to 2nd. Michael Reed grounds into a double play, first baseman Jeremy Schaffer to shortstop Ildemaro Vargas to pitcher Michael Aldrete. Brent Dean to 3rd. Adrian Williams out at 2nd. Orlando Arcia singles on a line drive to left fielder Jordan Walton. Brent Dean scores. With Tyrone Taylor batting, Orlando Arcia advances to 2nd on defensive indifference. Tyrone Taylor singles on a ground ball to pitcher Michael Aldrete. Orlando Arcia to 3rd. With Adam Giacalone batting, Tyrone Taylor advances to 2nd on defensive indifference. Adam Giacalone strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by pitcher Michael Aldrete. Orlando Arcia scores. Tyrone Taylor to 3rd. Adam Giacalone to 1st. Victor Roache singles on a line drive to left fielder Jordan Walton, deflected by third baseman Patrick Wisdom. Tyrone Taylor scores. Adam Giacalone to 2nd. Mike Garza flies out to center fielder Charlie Tilson. Wisconsin Gameday

Well since the Brewers don't have a single top 100 prospect it shouldn't be a surprise that none of our players made the list. The only divisional player to make it was Reds' RHP Robert Stephenson. Reading about Stephenson's K totals got me wondering about the Brewer organization. Would you believe that in the month the month of May the 4 best strike out pitchers in the organization were... Tyler Thornburg (11.5), Drew Gagnon (10.8), Ariel Pena (10.7), and R.J. Seidel (10.0)? I'll be honest, if I was given 20 guesses there's no way I would have guessed Seidel in the top 4. Here's the Brewers' minor league pitching for the month of May which I took my information from. If you sort by SO/9 you will see very notable names at the bottom of that list. All-Prospect Team: May Edition

I sent a similar email this morning to my buddy who had the read the books. Apparently he's been waiting for me to react to that scene for a quite a while now. I'm rapidly running out of people to root for in the show. I'm pretty much down to Arya Stark, John Snow, and Daenerys Targaryen.

Well the Rattler game went south in a hurry. After Peoria's (Cards) 5 run 4th the T-Rats are now losing 9-3 in the bottom of 4.

I think this has less to do with Scooter than it does Weeks' option that the Brewers simply will not allow to vest.

I was a closet Keeling fan, I'm actually kind of sad to see him go.