TheCrew07

once again MiLB uses the picture that makes him look like a pitcher, such an odd choice Texas notes: Cards' Taveras all smiles Outfielder celebrates 20th birthday with All-Star, Futures nods By Todd Traub / Special to MLB.com http://www.milb.com/images/2012/06/25/IrR3GNmz.jpg Springfield's Oscar Taveras leads the Texas League with a .323 average. (Shawn E. Davis/MiLB.com) Oscar Taveras paused before a recent interview to apologize that his English wasn't better, but the Springfield Cardinals outfielder already knows the right word to describe the state of his career. These days, everything is "awesome." Leading the Texas League in hitting? Awesome. Celebrating his 20th birthday while playing Double-A baseball? Awesome. Voted an All-Star and named to the World squad for the Futures Game? Well, you get the picture. "I'm really happy. That's really awesome for me," Taveras said of his Futures Game selection. "My family is very happy." Taveras, St. Louis' top hitting prospect, will join Springfield second baseman Kolten Wong for the Minor League showcase July 8, part of MLB All-Star festivities in Kansas City. It's yet another accomplishment for Taveras, who, despite entering pro ball at a young age, plays like he's making up for lost time. Taveras, who turned 20 on June 19, has a league-best .323 average after hitting .386 for Quad Cities to dominate the Midwest League last year. He jumped over the Class A Advanced level to start this season in Double-A and hasn't concerned himself with the numbers, only what they represent. "I don't pay attention to that too much," Taveras said. "I just continue to play hard." Springfield manager Mike Shildt says Taveras' progress, while impressive, is not that surprising once you get to know him. "He's got a real skill set," Shildt said. "He's got a high IQ with what he's doing at the plate. He has a serious, aggressive nature and tremendous hand-to-eye coordination. He's got the ability to be super aggressive with his swing and yet stay on balance." Taveras has played all three outfield spots and projects as a right fielder because of his plus arm, though he plays center for Springfield. "He's not a natural center fielder but he has some skills," said Shildt. "He's very playable there." Taveras credits his growth as a player to hard work while growing up in his native Dominican Republic. He signed with St. Louis as a 16-year-old and said he was thrilled to be part of an organization that has won 11 World Series. "That's awesome for me too," Taveras said. "I'm really happy for that. Maybe next year or this year, I don't know, maybe I'll play in the big leagues." Shildt knew Taveras had a chance to be something special the first time he saw him as manager at Rookie-level Johnson City. Taveras was supposed to start the 2010 season at Johnson City but a minor injury delayed him by a few games. When he finally did show up, Shildt batted him seventh to help ease him in. Though Taveras didn't reach base that game, Shildt could see he had a talented hitter on his hands and never batted him lower than second the rest of the year. "After the third at-bat I was like, 'I don't have to protect this guy at all,'" Shildt said. In brief Texas showdown: Right-hander Cody Buckel, who posted a Minor League-leading 1.31 ERA at Myrtle Beach, made his Double-A debut with Frisco on Sunday and faced Corpus Christi righty Jarred Cosart, the Astros' top pitching prospect. Buckel took the loss after giving up two runs on five hits and three walks, striking out three in four innings. Cosart went six innings to get the victory, striking out one, walking two and scattering four hits to cap a week's performance worthy of Pitcher of the Week honors. Extra special: Nate Freiman's two-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning lifted San Antonio to a 5-3 victory over Corpus Christi on Thursday, ending the third straight extra-inning game the teams had played. Corpus Christi won the first two, 4-0 and 2-1, and both went 12 innings. Stingy stint: Arkansas held Northwest Arkansas to two hits Friday and lost, 1-0. So the Travelers went one better Saturday as starter Ariel Pena combined with Caleb Graham and Kevin Johnson on a one-hitter in Arkansas' 4-0 victory.

Final: Albuquerque 7, Nashville 3 Sounds Lose Finale In Albuquerque, 7-3 Nashville Strands 10 And Goes 3-for-13 With Runners In Scoring Position ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Nashville Sounds were handed a 7-3 defeat by the Albuquerque Isotopes in the finale of a four-game series on Tuesday afternoon at Isotopes Park. After winning the opener on Saturday, Nashville fell to 13-30 on the road after dropping the next three games to lose the series to the Isotopes. The Sounds held a lead in all four games. Second baseman Eric Farris led the way with a 3-for-4 effort to extend his hitting streak to eight games. First baseman Jordan Brown and Jeff Bianchi each chipped in with two hits. The Sounds jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the opening frame against Albuquerque starter Stephen Fife. Leadoff hitter Caleb Gindl singled to center, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bianchi, and scored on the next play as outfielder Logan Schafer knocked an RBI base hit to left. · AUDIO: Schafer RBI Single Albuquerque quickly knotted the contest at 1-1 in the next frame with four consecutive singles against Nashville starter Claudio Vargas, highlighted by an RBI base hit from Scott Van Slyke. Vargas recorded the next three outs to escape the rally with further damage. The Isotopes took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning after Jerry Sands led off with a single and later scored on an infield RBI groundout from Brian Cavazos-Galvez. Matt Angle then tacked on another run on an RBI base hit. The Sounds struck back and tied the game at 3-3 in the visiting half of the fifth. After Brown's second hit of the ballgame to move Schafer to third base, Nashville attempted a double steal. Brown was thrown out at second base while Schafer made it home to score the frame's first run. After third baseman Andy Gonzalez drew a walk, catcher Jason Jaramillo smoked a game-tying double to right field. · AUDIO: Jaramillo RBI Double Albuquerque went right back ahead at 6-3 after Vargas began the bottom of the fifth with two walks, followed by a fielding error to load the bases. Tim Federowicz brought home the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly, which was followed by an RBI single by Cavazos-Galvez to remove Vargas from the game. Former Sound Trent Oeltjen then singled in the final run of the frame off reliever Donovan Hand. Angle's seventh-inning RBI groundout extended the lead to 7-3. Vargas (2-1) scattered eight hits for a season-high six runs (four earned) in 4 1/3 innings for the loss. Hand worked 1 2/3 innings with no runs allowed to extend his scoreless streak 15 innings. Juan Perez gave up one run while striking out two in one inning. Amaury Rivas ended the game with a scoreless frame and two strikeouts. Fife (6-4) picked up the victory, allowing three runs on nine hits in five innings. The Sounds travel to Round Rock, Texas after today's game and will conclude their road trip with a three-game series against the Express (AAA-Rangers). Sounds right-hander Wily Peralta (2-8, 6.97) will take the mound against rehabbing left-hander Derek Holland (NR). The clubs split their first series of the year, 2-2, at Greer Stadium in late May. Nashville Box Score The Sounds didn't have any better day than I did, these Nashville game summaries are incredibly detailed, I should have been reading them all year. Donovan Hand might have a scoreless appearance streak going since the runs he's giving up are not being to him but he's allowed inherited runners to score in his last 2 outings which I meant to highlight after Rogers start and forgot. Wily Peralta on the mound tomorrow, wow us Wily. Nashville Play By Play

I had finished a wireless antenna installation with some vendor electricians for a new safety system which monitors everything in our semis. Post installation I'm walking around a 20 plus yearold parking lot making sure I have the intended area of coverage out of the antenna but the install ran long enough that we have tractors and package cars coming back to the building so I move to closer the edge even though I have my safety vest on just to make it easier on everyone. As I mentioned the blacktop is over 20 years old and has begun to crumble, but I'm not paying attention to that, I'm just looking from my laptop to the antenna and back as I move around. I manage to get right to the edge blacktop and a piece crumbles away as I step on it and I sprain my right ankle bad enough it's still giving me trouble 5 weeks later. As my ankle buckles I fall down and to the right catching my left knee almost perfectly on the corner that broke away. I initially thought it was just bruise and scraped up pretty bad but now that the swelling has receded and the scrapes have healed there's obviously something very wrong inside the knee, it feels like when I tore cartilage in high school and the constant pain is fairly persistent. Of course I didn't report it as an injury to work at the time because I thought it was just a sprained ankle (which happens a couple of times a year) and some bumps and bruises so now I have to explain to my boss and likely everyone else up the chain why I didn't report an injury while working on our newest safety project that I'll likely need some kind of surgery on. Ironically my laptop which tumbled about 12-15 feet (wind aided) is functioning perfectly even though the plastics corners and housing were basically shredded.

another divisional prospect suspended, when did MiLB start releasing what the positive tests were for? Cards' Swinson suspended 50 games St. Louis outfielder, 22, tested positive for Methylhexaneamine By Danny Wild / MLB.com http://www.milb.com/images/2012/06/25/MYogFpCf.jpg Mike Swinson has split the season between Palm Beach and the GCL Cards. (Tony Farlow/MiLB.com) Cardinals outfielder Mike Swinson was suspended for 50 games on Monday after violating the Minor League drug program. Swinson, 22, was banned without pay after testing positive for Methylhexaneamine, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension is effective immediately. The lefty-swinging outfielder was selected by St. Louis out of Coffee High School (Ga.) in the 12th round of the 2008 Draft, but had not reached the Class A Advanced level until this season. He's batting .185 with a homer and five RBIs in 24 games this season between Palm Beach and the Gulf Coast League Cardinals. Methylhexaneamine is a substance originally intended to be used as a nasal decongestant that has gained popularity as a recreational drug which reportedly gives users an adrenaline rush. Side effects include nausea and stroke. The drug was recently linked to several Jamaican track stars in 2009 as well as some Minor Leaguers over the past two years. Swinson is the 50th player suspended this year for violation the Minor League program. Major League Baseball also suspended veteran big leaguer Marlon Myrd on Monday after testing positive for Tamoxifen.

Final: DSL Brewers 10, DSL Blue Jays 8 (10 Innings) DSL Brewers Box Score Quite the offense in my 2 games here tonight, fortunately this one with a better result and a nice come from behind win in extras to boot. 20 year old Eliezer Montano was alright through the first 4 innings allowing 1 run on 4 hits but 3 walks against 3 strike outs. The trouble started with Junior Flores' 2/3 of inning in the 5th and carried through Melvin Tejada's 2 innings. They walked 6 batters, threw 3 wild pitches, and allowed 6 runs between them. Felix Paulino pitched the final 3.1 picking up the win allowing an earned run on 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4. Overall the young Brewers walked 10 batters in the game but struck out 11. Juan Ortiz busted out of his slump in a big way, he had been batting .105 over his last ten but went 2-3 with a double, HR, and 2 walks today. Jose Dicent went 2-3 with a walk and Yunior De La Cruz went 2-4 to round out the multi-hit games. While there weren't any XBH beyond Ortiz' day, Carlos Pena did go 1-3 with 2 BB and the Brewers walked a total of 8 times in the game. Ortiz and Raphachel Colatosti each stole a base while Pena was caught trying to steal home. De La Cruz had his first passed ball of the season but Montano picked off a runner at 1B. DSL Brewers Play By Play Fun. DSL Brewers Top of the 6th Elvis Rubio called out on strikes. Juan Ortiz doubles (4) on a fly ball to left fielder Cesar Barazarte. Jose Dicent hit by pitch. Carlos Pena walks. Juan Ortiz to 3rd. Jose Dicent to 2nd. Yunior De La Cruz singles on a ground ball to center fielder Luis Martin. Juan Ortiz scores. Jose Dicent scores. Carlos Pena out at 3rd on the throw, center fielder Luis Martin to first baseman Angel Rojas to third baseman Deiferson Barreto. Yunior De La Cruz to 2nd. Alejandro Mendoza grounds out, pitcher Wilmin Lara to first baseman Angel Rojas. More Fun. DSL Brewers Top of the 7th Pitcher Change: Gilberto Vielma replaces Wilmin Lara. Francisco Castillo singles on a ground ball to third baseman Deiferson Barreto. Francisco Castillo advances to 2nd, on throwing error by third baseman Deiferson Barreto. Raphachel Colatosti walks. With Carlos Belonis batting, wild pitch by Gilberto Vielma, Francisco Castillo to 3rd. With Carlos Belonis batting, Raphachel Colatosti steals (7) 2nd base. Carlos Belonis called out on strikes. Elvis Rubio singles on a ground ball to center fielder Luis Martin. Francisco Castillo scores. Raphachel Colatosti to 3rd. Gilberto Vielma intentionally walks Juan Ortiz. Elvis Rubio to 2nd. Defensive Substitution: Andres Sotillo replaces catcher Roberto Vahlis, batting 8th, playing catcher. Pitcher Change: Manuel Lopez replaces Gilberto Vielma. Jose Dicent singles on a ground ball to shortstop Edwin Fuentes. Raphachel Colatosti scores. Elvis Rubio to 3rd. Juan Ortiz to 2nd. Carlos Pena singles on a ground ball to second baseman Ronniel Demorizi. Elvis Rubio scores. Juan Ortiz to 3rd. Jose Dicent to 2nd. Yunior De La Cruz singles on a ground ball to left fielder Cesar Barazarte. Juan Ortiz scores. Jose Dicent to 3rd. Carlos Pena to 2nd. Alejandro Mendoza grounds into a force out, shortstop Edwin Fuentes to second baseman Ronniel Demorizi. Jose Dicent scores. Carlos Pena to 3rd. Yunior De La Cruz out at 2nd. Alejandro Mendoza to 1st. With Francisco Castillo batting, Carlos Pena caught stealing home, catcher Andres Sotillo to second baseman Ronniel Demorizi to catcher Andres Sotillo. Most Fun. DSL Brewers Top of the 10th Carlos Pena walks. Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Yunior Santana replaces Carlos Pena. With Yunior De La Cruz batting, passed ball by Andres Sotillo, Yunior Santana to 2nd. Yunior De La Cruz hits a sacrifice bunt. Throwing error by pitcher Manuel Lopez. Yunior Santana to 3rd. Yunior De La Cruz to 1st. Alejandro Mendoza hit by pitch. Yunior De La Cruz to 2nd. With Francisco Castillo batting, wild pitch by Manuel Lopez, Yunior Santana scores. Yunior De La Cruz to 3rd. Alejandro Mendoza to 2nd. Francisco Castillo hit by pitch. Pitcher Change: Eyerys Guerrero replaces Manuel Lopez. Raphachel Colatosti grounds out, pitcher Eyerys Guerrero to second baseman Ronniel Demorizi to first baseman Angel Rojas. Yunior De La Cruz scores. Alejandro Mendoza to 3rd. Francisco Castillo to 2nd. Carlos Belonis called out on strikes. Elvis Rubio grounds out, shortstop Edwin Fuentes to first baseman Angel Rojas.

Final: Albuquerque 11, Nashville 9 Late Sounds Rally Comes Up Short In 11-9 Defeat Brown, Jaramillo Homer For Nashville In Losing Effort ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Nashville Sounds mounted a furious ninth-inning rally in an attempt to come back from a seven-run deficit but ultimately fell short in an 11-9 loss to the Albuquerque Isotopes on Monday evening at Isotopes Park. The defeat marked the tenth time this season that the Sounds (31-47) have surrendered a double-digit run total; Nashville has plated ten runs or more only twice. Trailing 11-4 entering the ninth, Nashville plated five in the inning and got the potential tying run to the plate before Isotopes reliever Wil Ledezma retired pinch-hitter Jay Gibbons on a game-ending flyout to the warning track in right field. Five Albuquerque batters recorded multiple-hit efforts on the night, led by Josh Fields' 3-for-5, four-RBI effort that included a homer and a double. Isotopes starter Will Savage (10-3) became the Pacific Coast League's second 10-game winner (joining Fresno's Eric Hacker). He allowed four runs on eight hits over six frames to earn the victory. Jordan Brown paced the Nashville offense with a 4-for-5, three-RBI night that included a home run and a double, his second four-hit effort of the year. Albuquerque got off to an early start against Sounds starter Seth McClung, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Alex Castellanos singled with one out and scored the night's first run on an RBI double off the bat of Fields that sailed just above the reach of Caleb Gindl. Former Sounds MVP Luis Cruz doubled the advantage later in the frame with a two-out RBI single to left after fouling off four two-strike offerings from McClung. Nashville catcher Jason Jaramillo evened the game at 2-2 with one swing of the bat in the second, belting a two-run homer to right off Savage. The backstop's second roundtripper of the year also plated Andy Gonzalez, who preceded him with a one-out single. AUDIO: Jaramillo Two-Run HR The Isotopes pulled back in front in the home half of the frame when their catcher answered Jaramillo's shot with one of his own. Josh Bard drove a 3-2 McClung offering to deep center for his third big fly of the year, giving Albuquerque a 3-2 lead. The Sounds knotted the score once again in the third. McClung drew a five-pitch walk from Savage to open the inning and lumbered all the way around to score from first when Caleb Gindl followed with an RBI double to left-center. Gindl was thrown out attempting to advance to third on the play, however. Brown gave Nashville its first lead of the night at 4-3 when he led off the fourth inning with his fifth home run of the season, a long blast onto the berm in right field. AUDIO: Brown Go-Ahead HR The back-and-forth affair continued in the bottom of the fourth as Albuquerque reclaimed the lead with a five-run outburst against McClung to move ahead, 8-4. Jerry Sands led off with a massive game-tying, solo homer to left on a 1-0 offering. The outfielder's tenth blast of the year even the contest at 4-4. Later in the frame, with runners on second and third, ex-Sound Trent Oeltjen lifted a go-ahead sacrifice fly to center to bring home Matt Angle. Fields capped off the five-run rally with a two-out, three-run homer on the first pitch he saw from the big right-hander, the infielder's eighth longball of the year. McClung (1-9) surrendered eight runs to the Isotopes for the second time in two starts this season and took his PCL-leading ninth loss for Nashville. He gave up the eight runs on nine hits, including three home runs, in his 5 2/3 innings of work. Albuquerque registered three important insurance runs in the seventh inning against Sounds reliever Victor Garate to extend the lead to 11-4. Nashville failed to score in the fifth through eighth innings, despite having a runner on base in each of those frames, before finally getting on the scoreboard again with their ninth-inning rally. Corey Patterson led off with a double against Ramon Troncoso and later scoring on a wild pitch to bring the score to its final 11-5 standing. After an Eric Farris single and a pair of walks loaded the bases, Brown continued his solid night with a bloop hit down the left field line that was ruled a single by the official scorer. All three Nashville baserunners scored on the play as a result of the hit combined with a throwing error by Sands, the left fielder. Brown later scored the frame's fourth and final run on a Jaramillo fielder's choice grounder. The teams conclude the four-game set with a 1:05 p.m. CT finale on Tuesday afternoon. Right-hander Claudio Vargas (2-0, 4.83) will toe the rubber for the Sounds to face Albuquerque right-hander Stephen Fife (5-4, 4.86). Nashville Play By Play For those history nerds and/or movie buffs like me you'll remember A Bridge Too Far, well this game was like that only it was "A Hole Dug Too Deep"... I had originally written that a different way but upon proofreading I had to add an extra word... well you'll figure out why. Big Seth McClung is a very likable dude, but he's struggled in the rotation and the Nashville offense hasn't exactly set the world on fire for him either. However, it's awesome that he was 1-1 with a walk and scored from first on that double, I hope that play is a video highlight, that had to be a sight to see. Victor Garate was once again Victor Garate, nuff said there. I'm going to beat the drum a little bit for Jim Henderson. What more does have to do to at least earn a shot? He certainly didn't pitch well last year but he's hot now, ride that hot hand and give him a chance! Seriously, what's not to like about his line? Give the man an opportunity. Regardless of the pitching issues, a valiant comeback none the less by the position players, what a 9th inning. The offensive contributions with the bat were covered in the detailed game summary though Jeff Bianchi did steal his 5th base. Nashville Play By Play Can't argue with this effort... Nashville Top of the 9th Corey Patterson doubles (15) on a fly ball to center fielder Matt Angle. Eric Farris singles on a line drive to right fielder Trent Oeltjen. Corey Patterson to 3rd. With Caleb Gindl batting, Eric Farris advances to 2nd on defensive indifference. With Caleb Gindl batting, wild pitch by Ramon Troncoso, Corey Patterson scores. Eric Farris to 3rd. Caleb Gindl grounds out, pitcher Ramon Troncoso to first baseman Scott Van Slyke. Jeff Bianchi walks. Logan Schafer walks. Jeff Bianchi to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Wil Ledezma replaces Ramon Troncoso, batting 9th. Jordan Brown singles on a fly ball to left fielder Jerry Sands. Eric Farris scores. Jeff Bianchi scores. Logan Schafer scores. Jordan Brown to 2nd on the throw. Throwing error by left fielder Jerry Sands. With Andy Gonzalez batting, wild pitch by Wil Ledezma, Jordan Brown to 3rd. Andy Gonzalez walks. Jason Jaramillo grounds into a force out, shortstop Luis Cruz to second baseman Alex Castellanos. Jordan Brown scores. Andy Gonzalez out at 2nd. Jason Jaramillo to 1st. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Jay Gibbons replaces Jim Henderson. Jay Gibbons flies out to right fielder Trent Oeltjen.

Luck? How many "lucky" trades does it take for people to accept that they are lucky and are skillful. Kazmir for Zambrano wasn't out of line for the time, it looks like a horrible deal now, especially given today's pitching market, but there were plenty of concern's about Kazmir's long-term future at the time of the trade. As I said it 2008, when Edwin Jackson is your 5th starter you've done something right... there aren't many starting pitchers who's average FB velocity is higher than 95 at any one time and while Jackson certainly makes a credible case to the be the poster boy for "effectively wild" trading a closer for that kind of talent was a very shrewd move. I pointed out myself that he never threw enough strikes and even given his immense talent he was the first pitcher to go, but was flipped while he still had value, and continued to be flipped by subsequent teams. Garza for Young wasn't lucky, unless you consider the Twins got extremely unlucky in that Delmon has never approached his ceiling as a player. At the time it was a pretty even trade, of course now it looks terrible, but in the end the Rays managed the roster and built the team with pitching, roster, and payroll flexibility, and that's something the Brewers have never looked to do. All of the trades together point to the idea that Tampa figured out how to exploit the market and build the most cost effective teams that could compete with the Yankees and Boston in the same division. Young pitching is power, and the Rays built a WS rotation on 3 trades which effectively bridged the gap to the point their absolutely fantastic system produced legit top of the rotation talent year after year. They held onto to those trading chips until they had better talent/production and moved them on at the correct time in every case. That's not luck, it's astute stewardship. Freidman has missed some, the Burrell contract didn't work out very well, but I think every organization is going to miss on a some high priced FAs, it's the nature of the beast. Every organization has to start someplace, we started with hitters, still haven't proven we can develop impact pitching, and the impact pitching we've acquired has/had an extremely limited tenure. If you're trading for proven players then you'd better be able to resign them because any draft pick compensation is years away from helping at best. Winning doesn't necessarily make a trade the proper move, there's many more angles than that. Typically that's the way the trade is viewed, did the buyer accomplish it's goal? Sometimes it's how the prospects traded turn out, which to me is largely irrelevant. Personally my angle is always did the trade help move the Brewers towards the place where I'd like them to be as an organization, and in just about every case (there have been exceptions) the answer with Melvin has been no. He makes trades that largely viewed in a positive way by the fan base because they are trades for familiar names with a history of big league success, but there is legitimate argument to be made that they weren't the best possible value for the assets spent nor did they truly move organization forward from a talent standpoint. Tampa spent a SP they weren't going to resign, a good but overvalued closer, and top hitting prospect to acquire 3 key pieces for their WS team, getting over 10 years of service before selling high flipping all 3 pitchers at the proper time to cycle talent back into the system. The Brewers spent 3 top hitting prospects, 2 top pitching prospects, a very good relief prospect, a MLB SS, and boatload more cash in payroll to get 4.5 years of service and do less in the post season coming from a weaker division. The inequity there isn't luck, it's a definable difference in approach.

Reds Billy Hamilton Ups His Already Frenetic Stolen Base Pace Even for baseball's best basestealer, it's been a pretty amazing week. High Class A Bakersfield shortstop Billy Hamilton (Reds) stole three bases in Sunday afternoon's game against Rancho Cucamonga. The three steals gives him 90 this season, 39 more than anyone else in pro baseball. The three stolen bases came on the heels of a four-steal Saturday and one stolen base on Friday, giving him eight steals this weekend. If you include his first game back from the Carolina-California League all-star game and the last game of the first half (where he stole five bases). Hamilton is having the most productive basestealing stretch of his career with 15 steals in five games. The best previous stretch of his career was a five-game segment where he stole 12 bases in late April this year. Hamilton had never stolen more than 10 bases in a five-game stretch before this season. Hamilton's 33 steals this month are the most steals he's ever had in a month, topping the 29 he stole this April. Hamilton's three most productive basestealing months of his career have all occurred this year—he stole 28 bases in May. Before this year, he had never stolen more than 24 bases in a month (Rookie-level Billings, Aug. 2010). Thanks to his recent burst, Hamilton has upped his stolen bases-per-game pace to 1.2. Even with the Futures Game meaning that he will miss a couple of scheduled games, the speedster is currently on pace to steal 166 bases. The pro record is 145 steals, set by Vince Coleman in 1983 in low Class A Macon.

Not quoting TLB for any reason other than to frame my post. I've harped on the jump to AA a ton for pitchers, maybe too much, because I want our pitchers to be able to succeed when they get there and most of the time good pitchers can dominate A ball without really being ready for AA. I'm not specifically talking about Nelson, I just mean in general. When I look at our group of pitching prospects, I see quite a few players I'm excited about, but every single one has significant work to do. I look at our system and I don't see anyone as I'm as confident in as I was with Gallardo... with him it wasn't a matter of "if" it was a matter of "when". Certainly everyone has prospects that will struggle, there is a mind boggling number of legitimate pitching prospects struggling in AAA right now and even a youngster whom I covet in Taijuan Walker was beat around by the Stars today and has pitched pretty poorly all of June. James Tallion had a rough stretch, I could go on and on. The point is that success in A+ is great, but our home park is maybe the best pitcher's park in the minor leagues as Space Coast Stadium completely suppresses RH power so we should expect most of our guys to have an adjustment period to AA and treat their A+ stats with a little bit of a wary eye. The hitters in AA are basically an A ball all-star team every time out, most are coming into their own from an approach standpoint, and the umpiring and strike zones are going to get much tighter. Every line-up will have a weak bat or 2 with some sort of roster filler but generally speaking hitters are going to be much more disciplined and chase less pitches so our young men better be able to truly command the strike zone before they get there. It doesn't matter what level of baseball if you are constantly pitching behind in the count you aren't going to have success. As far as Nelson goes he'll be interesting to follow, the jump from A to A+ didn't seem to effect him at all but it's looking like he'll have to make some adjustments to ascend over the second half again like he did last season.

This is a Rookie level affiliate of the Cardinals, player stats linked in the original story Johnson City falls pitch short of no-no Jones, Aldrete, Rauh, Shaban combine on 8 2/3 hitless innings By Sam Dykstra / Special to MLB.com http://www.milb.com/images/2012/06/24/TF3tSnT6.jpg Cory Jones went 7-0 with a 2.64 ERA for College of the Canyons in junior college ball this year. One strike is all it would have taken, and to some on the Johnson City roster, it appeared that it had already been thrown. With one runner on due to an inning-opening walk, Cardinals reliever Ronnie Shaban -- who followed Cory Jones, Michael Aldrete and Jeff Rauh -- unfurled a 1-2 pitch that froze Bluefield batter Seth Conner with two outs in the ninth. It was called a ball. Some disagreed with home plate umpire Jimmy Lott. "From where I was sitting in the bullpen, it looked right down the middle," Aldrete said. Shaban then threw a 2-2 fastball over the heart of the plate, and Conner grounded the ball up the middle for a base hit. No-hitter over, and you would have known it just by the sounds of the visiting dugout at Bluefield's Bowen Field. "Everyone let out a scream because we all kind of wanted to it to happen," said Rauh. Carlos Ramirez followed Conner's single with a two-RBI double. Shutout over. The Cardinals closer finally got the strikeout he was looking for when he got Christian Lopes swinging to give Johnson City a 4-2 victory. The punchout was two batters too late for history, but that didn't seem to bother Shaban, who didn't quite recognize what was going on despite the screams. "Honestly when the guy got the hit, it didn't even hit me," he said. "During the next batter, I looked up at the scoreboard to see what the count was, saw the hit on the board and thought, 'Well, there goes that. Let's just try to get one more out and get the win here.'" Jones, the Cardinals' fifth-round pick in this year's Draft, was making his professional debut as the team's starter, and he showed it with his first four batters. The 6-foot-5 issued a walk, hit a batter, struck one out and had another base on balls -- a streak he attributed to first-game excitement. "The first inning, I think I was a little too pumped," said the College of the Canyons product. "Then I got things under control, and my fastball and curveball were working pretty well. I was just overamped, but once I got over that, I was fine." Following his opening four-batter stretch, the 20-year-old retired the remaining eight Blue Jays hitters he faced, four via the strikeout. Aldrete, who earned his first professional win, took over for Jones in the fourth. and like the Cardinals starter, he experienced his only trouble in his first inning. After striking out Art Charles to open the fourth, the former San Jose State Spartan walked Jacob Anderson. But again like Jones, Aldrete rebounded to retire eight consecutive opponents. The outing represented the first scoreless stretch of his career after the right-hander had surrender four earned runs on six hits over his first three innings. The biggest difference Sunday night appeared to be Aldrete's ability to keep the ball low in the strike zone. "I don't think I threw one fastball above the knees, so obviously the command was there tonight," said the Cardinals' 39th-round selection. "The last few outings I had been up too much. The quality of the pitches was the same, but the location wasn't great. So I was working hard in batting practice and bullpens to iron out my mechanics. "It was very reassuring. It was rough starting out as a professional and thinking, 'Should I be here?' I'm glad to be getting over that." Rauh continued the perfect streak by retiring all three hitters he faced in the seventh. Two more walks by the 22-year-old righty put two men on with two outs in the eighth -- the first time Bluefield had a runner in scoring position since the first -- before striking out Matthew Dean to end the threat. Unlike Jones, Aldrete and Shaban (a 33rd-round pick), Rauh was not chosen in this year's First-Year Player Draft, but after allowing just two runs on four hits in his first two outings, he's happy he chose the St. Louis organization as a free agent. "I had been talking to the Cardinals all year long, and when I didn't get drafted, they called me and asked if I wanted a shot," Rauh said. "Of course I did, and it's worked out pretty well. I love it. I'm living the dream." Johnson City turned to Shaban in the ninth, and after the former Virginia Tech hurler couldn't close the deal, he shrugged off the potential feat and said he wasn't kicking himself for what could have been. "Honestly no, not really," he said. "It would've been great obviously. But if it would have been Cory or someone pitching the whole game, it would have added a little something more, I think." Michael Knox hit a solo home run in the fourth for the Cardinals. Carson Kelly finished 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Final: Albuquerque 4, Nashville 2 Sounds Fall To Isotopes, 4-2 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Scott Van Slyke's seventh-inning RBI double gave Albuquerque its first lead of the night and propelled the Isotopes to a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Sounds on Sunday evening at Isotopes Park. The loss dropped Nashville (31-46) to just 2-15 in games decided by two runs this season. The Sounds had runners on base in every inning except the fourth but were only able to get a run to the plate in the third frame. Logan Schafer continued his recent hot hitting for the Sounds, going 2-for-4 to produce his ninth multiple-hit effort in his last 15 games. Schafer is hitting .413 in June (31-for-75). Shortstop Edwin Maysonet returned to the Sounds with a 2-for-4 evening after spending a month with Milwaukee and outfielder Corey Patterson stayed hot with the lumber, going 2-for-4. The veteran has recorded a knock in nine of his last 11 tilts. Nashville missed out on an early scoring opportunity. After putting runners on second and third with only one out in the second against Isotopes starter Fernando Nieve, Dayton Buller struck out and Sounds starter Brian Baker grounded out to end the frame. Baker returned the favor in the bottom of the frame, successfully working out of a one-out, second-and-third jam of his own. The right-hander popped up Brian Cavazos-Galvez then struck out Tyler Henson to keep it a scoreless contest. The Sounds took a 2-0 lead against Nieve in the third without recording an RBI in the frame. Maysonet got things started with a one-out double to left and moved to third on a Schafer single. With Andy Gonzalez at the plate, Schafer stole second and Maysonet was able to score the night's first run when catcher Tim Federowicz misfired into center field. Gonzalez then singled to right, where former Sound Trent Oeltjen booted the ball which allowed Schafer to race home with the frame's second run. AUDIO: Sounds' First Run AUDIO: Sounds' Second Run Henson put Albuquerque on the board in the fifth when he led off the home half of the fifth with a solo homer to left off Baker The infielder's third big fly of the year halved the Sounds' lead to 2-1. Baker, who took a no-decision, turned in an admirable effort in a spot start for Nashville, limiting Albuquerque to one run on five hits while striking out a season-high five during his 4 1/3 innings of action. The Isotopes knotted the contest at 2-2 with a two-out rally against Rob Wooten in the sixth inning. After the right-hander retired the frame's first two hitters, he allowed back-to-back soft singles up the middle to Cavazos-Galvez and Henson before pinch-hitter Alex Castellanos drilled an RBI double to left-center that bounced over the wall, likely saving the Sounds a run. With runners standing on second and third, Wooten recovered to catch Oeltjen looking at a called third strike to escape the jam without further damage. Albuquerque took its first lead of the night in the seventh against Sounds reliever Amaury Rivas. Matt Angle led off with a single to right and moved to third on a well-executed hit-and-run single through the hole at shortstop off the bat of Joe Becker. Scott Van Slyke followed with a go-ahead RBI double into the left field corner that gave the 'Topes at 3-2 advantage. After former Sound Luis Cruz was walked intentionally to load the bases, Federowicz lifted a sacrifice fly to the track in left-center that advanced each runner a base, with Becker trotting to the plate with an insurance run. Rivas kept the Sounds' deficit at two runs by stranding runners on second and third as he induced a groundout from Cavazos-Galvez before striking out Henson to end the frame. The Albuquerque bullpen closed out the contest with two scoreless frames to secure the victory. Angel Guzman worked around a two-out Patterson double to toss a scoreless eighth. The Sounds made closer Josh Wall sweat after he took the hill for the ninth, loading the bases on a hit followed by a pair of two-out walks before Wall converted his PCL-leading 17th save in 18 chances by inducing a game-ending groundout off the bat of Gonzalez. Cole St. Clair (3-0), who worked a scoreless relief inning behind Nieve for Albuquerque, picked up the victory. Nieve took a quality-start no-decision for the 'Topes after holding the Sounds to two runs in his six innings of work. Rivas (4-5) absorbed the loss after giving up two runs in his two innings. Second baseman Eric Farris singled in the sixth inning to extend the Sounds' longest active hitting streak to six games and Jeff Bianchi went 2-for-2 to run his season-best hit streak to four. The teams continue the series with an 8:05 p.m. CT contest on Monday evening. Right-hander Seth McClung (1-8, 4.60) will man the bump for the Sounds to face Albuquerque right-hander Will Savage (9-3, 5.15). Nashville Box Score I gotta give it up for Brian Baker who pitched much better than I thought he would. It's disappointing that the sounds didn't do much against opposing starter Fernando Nieve who came into the game carrying an ERA over 7 in 11 starts. Caleb Gindl returned to the starting line-up today after missing a couple of games battling a bug that's been going around the Nashville clubhouse which was probably the last thing he needed. Nashville Play By Play

I think people spent to much time talking prospects and forget about others that are actually doing better than Top prospect. I think the reality is that some players are just going to have to prove themselves at every level. Burgos is no different than Chris Cody or any other pitcher that has come before him with more moxie than stuff. Early in AA Hiram struggled early in games and settled in nicely late, his last 4 starts he has avoided that trend but is still walking too many hitters. He remains an intriguing prospect, but he's going to have to command the zone better to continue his success. Mike Fiers has proven that there's more to pitching than just "stuff", but guys with "stuff" simply have more margin for error. It's the difference between any legitimate top of the rotation starter and the guys who follow, those top of the rotation types don't have to have their best stuff to succeed where RHP like a Suppan or Marcum (not saying they are similar pitchers, just the first control RHP that popped into my head) depend almost solely upon their command in every start. It's not bias, it's just experience watching what happens with prospects as they progress through the system. I'll be honest, the comp I've had in my head for Hiram is Dave Bush, and I haven't really been able to shake it. It's certainly nothing personal towards Burgos or any prospect, or their families and/or friends that might read the forum, it's just rather cold and emotionless discussion on my part. I treat Thornburg the same way I do Scarpetta, Jungmann, Burgos, whomever... I'd guess that many of us who do the LR don't have many rooting interests in any particular player, but more a rooting interest in the system. Personally I give it straight, I learned a long time ago that I'm a horrible liar so I write it pretty much exactly how I would would say it or coach it; here's what I like, here's what you need to do to improve, keep working hard, a pat on the back, and away they go... I give my unfiltered honest opinion every time out because I don't know any other way. It's certainly rubbed people the wrong way, the Jungmann discussions are a good example, and knowing that is why I didn't want to LR on that team because I got the feeling people where taking my comments for something that wasn't my intent. I'm certainly not looking to offend or hurt anyone's feelings, but it has happened in the past with a Rogers' family member for example and to this day he remains one of the very few prospects I actually do take a rooting interest in. If that's the case here I'm truly sorry, I've never intended any offense.

Schafer is already 25 and repeating AAA, he has almost a year's worth of games played there now. Why should he be sent back for a 3rd time? Calling him up next season means that the Brewers would control him until he was 32 or 33, the perfect time to cut bait and move onto the next player, if a player of greater impact doesn't force his way sooner. I don't get the fascination with Gomez and/or Morgan, both need a platoon advantage to succeed, and I use succeed very loosely. Why we wouldn't go younger, cheaper, controlled longer, and basically take the better all around player? Schafer should be a better player than Morgan given the same situation and wouldn't retaining Gomez depend on what it takes in Arby to get it done? Yes he plays good defense and has speed, but as far as spending money in 2013, CF is way down my personal list of priorities when Aoki can slide over there. Aoki isn't Gomez defensively, but he doesn't need to be either. Of the 3 players we currently have on the roster Aoki appears to be the superior all around player by any measure and it's not really even all that close. I'd much rather go with some combination of Braun, Aoki, Shafer, Gamel, and Hart in the outfield and then find another RH OF bench bat than mess around with Gomez and Morgan for another year.

True but baseball in itself is pretty unique in that high school kids can come right to the minor leagues. Usually college would wash out a very high percentage of those high school kids prior to the draft. If all players had to go to college or some secondary league before being drafted you could have like only 3 minor league levels total and players would move more quickly to MLB as you'd be drafting all 21-22 year old players that had already established a track record of success against "elite" competition. They wouldn't need 40 rounds to fill out MiLB rosters either...

Final: Nashville 8, Albuquerque 4 Five Homers Power Sounds To 8-4 Win In Road Trip Opener Halton Goes Yard Twice For Third Time In Career ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Nashville Sounds belted five home runs to beat the Albuquerque Isoptpes, 8-4, on Saturday night in the opener of a four-game series at Isotopes Park. With homers in a season-high seven consecutive games, the five home runs set a season high for Nashville (31-45) and was one long ball shy of a franchise record. The victory was Nashville's (31-45) fifth in the last seven contests overall first to begin a road trip this season (1-6). First baseman Sean Halton hit a pair of home runs as part of a 3-for-5 evening for the Sounds. The two-homer effort by Halton was the third multiple-homer game of his four-year career and second two-homer effort by a Sound this season after outfielder Logan Schafer went yard twice last night against Oklahoma City. Second baseman Eric Farris also had three hits and a run scored while outfielder Corey Patterson recorded his second multi-hit game in a row. Nashville starter Mark Rogers (3-4) picked up the victory, allowing four runs on five hits with three strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. Reliever Donovan Hand ended the contest with 2 1/3 scoreless frames to extend his scoreless streak to 13 1/3 innings in the month of June. Albuquerque took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on a bases loaded, two-run single by Matt Angle. After Patterson lined a double to right field, Rogers helped his own cause by crushing a two-run homer to left. The long ball was the first of Rogers' professional career and first by a Sounds pitcher since Sam Narron went yard on August 23, 2010 at Iowa. · AUDIO: Mark Rogers Game-Tying Homer Nashville took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning thanks to an inning-opening walk by third baseman Andy Gonzalez, who moved to second based on the ensuing base hit by Sean Halton. Gonzalez would score two batters later on a Farris RBI base hit down the left field line. Gonzalez extended the Nashville lead to 4-2 on the first pitch of the sixth inning from Albuquerque starter Michael Antonini. The big fly was Gonzalez's seventh of the season, which have all come in the month of June. · AUDIO: Andy Gonzalez Goes Yard Five pitches later, Halton went yard over the left field wall for back-to-back jacks, removing Antonini from the contest. It was the third time in 2012 that the Sounds have hit back-to-back homers and second occurance by the due of Gonzalez and Halton (June 4 vs. New Orleans). · AUDIO: Sean Halton Goes Back-To-Back Three batters later after Farris singled, Patterson lined the third homer of the inning over the right field wall for a 7-2 advantage. The home run was Patterson's fourth of the season. · AUDIO: Corey Patterson Two-Run Home Run Halton's second homer of the game was to the deepest part of the park to straightaway center, extending the lead to 8-2. The Isotopes trimmed the lead to 8-4 in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a two-out, two run rally that spoiled the quality start for Rogers. Angle got things started with a two-out single and was followed by a pinch hit base hit by Brian Cavazos-Galvez that removed Rogers from the game. Former Sound Trent Oeltjen then cranked a two-run triple off the left field wall. Antonini (1-6) was charged five runs on seven hits and three homers in five innings for the loss. The Sounds and Isotopes continue their series at 7:05 pm CT on Sunday evening at Isotopes Park. Right-hander Brian Baker (1-3, 6.39) will start for Nashville against Albuquerque right-hander Fernando Nieve (3-5, 7.05). Nashville Box Score First a correction from my earlier post as tomorrow's starter will be the uninspiring Brian Baker. Jeff was extremely confused when Donovan Hand started warming up in the bullpen, but apparently in game strategy trumped the plan. The single with 2-out in the 7th didn't exactly chase Mark Rogers, something with his hand did. It looked like Dabney was just coming out for a talk and then Mark was promptly pulled. It's too bad Hand gave up the ensuing triple because Mark's line looked a heck of a lot better without the extra 2 ER. His final line was 6.2 IP, 5H, 4ER, 1BB, and 1HBP against 3SO throwing 58 of 92 pitches for strikes and posting an 8:6 ratio. The offense was covered in the game story but Eric Farris did commit his 5th error of the season (fielding). Nashville Play By Play Rogers still has too many of these "A Ball" innings (that's been the description in my head forever) where he gives up unnecessary runs... A HBP and a walk to load the bases followed by a gimp single. Albuquerque Bottom of the 2nd Scott Van Slyke singles on a ground ball to center fielder Logan Schafer. Luis Cruz pops out to shortstop Jeff Bianchi. Jerry Sands hit by pitch. Scott Van Slyke to 2nd. Tim Federowicz walks. Scott Van Slyke to 3rd. Jerry Sands to 2nd. Matt Angle singles on a ground ball to left fielder Corey Patterson. Scott Van Slyke scores. Jerry Sands scores. Tim Federowicz out at 3rd on the throw, left fielder Corey Patterson to third baseman Andy Gonzalez. Michael Antonini grounds out, shortstop Jeff Bianchi to first baseman Sean Halton. The Isotopes 7th, I actually felt bad for Mark, outside of 4 hitters he pitched well, but the razor thin margins for error are part of the game. Albuquerque Bottom of the 7th Jerry Sands grounds out, third baseman Andy Gonzalez to first baseman Sean Halton. Tim Federowicz flies out to center fielder Logan Schafer. Matt Angle singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jordan Brown. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Brian Cavazos-Galvez replaces Blake Johnson. Brian Cavazos-Galvez singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jordan Brown. Matt Angle to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Donovan Hand replaces Mark Rogers, batting 9th. Trent Oeltjen triples (4) on a fly ball to left fielder Corey Patterson. Matt Angle scores. Brian Cavazos-Galvez scores. Alex Castellanos flies out to right fielder Jordan Brown.

News from the AAA broadcast. As I started to type this Rogers actually just went yard, which ties up the game at 2. The more important news is that Thornburg won't be making his start tomorrow because of an undisclosed injury "issue" which is not considered serious per Jeff Hem. Donovan Hand will be making the start instead. edit. Jeff isn't saying if it's an injury or not.

I guess I can see where some would think I'm ignoring the boost in interest/attendance to the team which led greater revenues, but I wasn't, I've tackled that before, but quickly what exactly has our increased payroll exactly bought us? Sure we can point to 2011 after the Greinke and Marcum trades, but what about 2009 and 2010? What about 2012? Just spending isn't the answer here, and wasn't the idea that I was working on. I'm sure people are tired of me talking about the Rays but here it is one more time. It took us 3 different trades to net us 4.5 (after injuries) years of the quality pitching that this team has been sorely lacking forever. However all 3 trades were temporary in nature and didn't really help bridge the gap to our own pitching problems or plug rotation holes, the only way that would happen is if any of those 3 pitchers would have been/will be extended. As that seems unlikely today the rotation will be left in exactly the same state as it was when we acquired said players. Contrast that to what other teams such as the Rays did to build their rotation, they traded for a young Kazmir in 2004 who anchored their rotation gave them 5+ years and then spun him off. They traded a closer for Edwin Jackson in 2006 who was a top prospect in all of baseball who pitched for the Rays for 3 seasons but never threw enough strikes so they flipped him. Finally they traded for Matt Garza in 2007 and he pitched 3 strong seasons before they flipped him. Those 3 trades moved the Rays forward as organization as along the way they developed Shields as a very solid #2/#3 and developed Sonnanstine as a #4/#5 (our version of Fiers), to create a solid 5 man rotation and bridge the gap until their prospects were ready. Jeff Niemann and David Price joined the rotation in 2009 after Kazmir and Jackson were flipped for prospects at different points. Wade Davis replaced Sonnanstine in 2010 who moved to the pen, Hellickson pitched out of the pen late in 2010 but replaced Garza in the rotation in 2011, and Moore pushed Davis to the pen this year. That's moving your organization forward as they effectively bridged the gap to their prospects getting 10+ years out of those trades and the Rays' trades were much more economical than our 3 big pitching trades. I've long talked about how I view value in baseball: starting pitchers>position players>relievers. The Rays traded up in value each time, even the Zambrano->Kazmir deal they moved 8 years younger and got a pitcher with much better stuff. So from that perspective I don't see how the trades had any tangible long-term benefit for the organization. We're spending more money for a similar result and we still have major pitching issues on the horizon, that's not moving the organization forward. The MLB team has certainly enjoyed a couple of blips of success, but I don't think the organization is in a better place in terms of talent. The organization is certainly worth more on paper and the fanbase responded wonderfully, but again I'm not working on that angle. I'm coming from a place that would love to see the Brewers have MLB success and a strong enough farm to be able to sustain injuries and success over a long period of time. 2 blips on the radar screen isn't sustaining success from my point of view, nor do I feel particularly excited about the teams' prospects in 2013 and 2014 right now as Peralta has flat out stunk all year and Thornburg needs to work on his control quite a bit. Narveson, Fiers, and Estrada are nice back of the rotation starters but we won't have any aspirations of a deep playoff run throwing Yo and 4 guys.

Cubs’ Jeimer Candelario Hits First Home Run In Boise Cubs third baseman Jeimer Candelario was born in New York. Had he stayed in the United States, there's a good chance he would have been a first-round pick earlier this month. Instead, Candelario moved to the Dominican Republic and signed with the Cubs two years ago for $500,000, which is already looking like a potential bargain. After crushing the ball in the Dominican Summer League last year, Candelario, 18, has skipped the Rookie-level Arizona League and jumped to short-season Boise, where he hit his first home run of the year yesterday in a 2-for-4 evening, bringing him to .292/.320/.458 through his first six games. Candelario is a switch-hitter with a mature approach to hitting and power from both sides of the plate. He has work to do to remain at third base, but the Cubs have a potential breakout prospect on their hands here.

BA's Hot Sheet Chat

Mass linked the Hot Sheet is yesterday's LR. Here it is again with Divisional mentions. BA's Hot Sheet No. 1 DANIEL CORCINO, RHP REDS Team: Double-A Pensacola (Southern) Age: 22 Why He's Here: 1-0, 0.00, 8 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 9 SO The Scoop: Often what's notable about Corcino is his Rolex-like consistency. He hasn't had many sensational outings this year in his first season at Double-A, but only once in 13 starts has he given up more than three runs. While many young pitchers will show you a great outing followed by an awful one because they're not yet able to consistently repeat their delivery, Corcino has a pretty good idea of what his stuff will be before he takes the mound. And Corcino's stuff is plus, which means he can be spectacular, like he was this week. He threw the first eight innings of a combined no-hitter last Saturday. The Reds pulled Corcino from the game because he hit 110 pitches at the end of eight innings. He told reporters after the game that his goal is to finish his own no-hitter the next time. No. 5 JAMESON TAILLON, RHP PIRATES Team: high Class A Bradenton (Florida State) Age: 20. Why He's Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 SO The Scoop: While his stuff was fine—mid-90s fastball, power breaking ball, improved changeup—Taillon was having a rough stretch until his latest start. From May 27-June 13, he made four outings that lasted just 19 1/3 innings and gave up 28 hits in that stretch. His 19-5 K-BB ratio was fine, but his ERA had ballooned from 2.61 to 4.52 because when he got in trouble, he simply reared back and threw harder. In his latest start, Taillon adjusted, pitching inside more effectively en route to seven scoreless frames, during which he threw 47 of 78 pitches for strikes. "He was just rearing back and throwing 97 (mph) and straight when he was in trouble, (but) that just means it goes further," one Florida State League evaluator said. "He pitched a little meaner last time out, knocked some guys back by pitching inside, and used his changeup, which has gotten a lot better." The son of Canadians, Taillon probably could have been a World teamer for the Futures Game because he has dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship. But since he was born in Florida and raised in Texas, he'll have U.S.A. on his chest when he gets to Kansas City. IN THE TEAM PHOTO The first two months of the season were ones Cardinals 3B Zack Cox would like to forget. One of the minors' best prospects in terms of pure hitting ability, Cox's average stood at just .209 at the end of May for Triple-A Memphis, but the 23-year-old has started showing signs of life in June. Cox hit .444/.545/.778 (8-for-18) with a homer and three doubles this week, and he also showed more selectivity, walking four times which matched his total from each of the first two months . . . MAN AMONG BOYS • Hayden Simpson, rhp, Cubs: Any progress is encouraging progress for Simpson, and Thursday night he pitched four innings for short-season Boise, giving up just one unearned run and one hit while walking one. More importantly, he tied a career high with seven strikeouts. Boise manager Mark Johnson told the Idaho Press-Tribune that Simpson pitched great. "I can't picture him throwing any better," the skipper said. No one envisioned that the 23-year-old 2010 first-round pick would still be in short-season ball two years after being drafted, but of course few teams besides the Cubs pictured Simpson as a first-round pick that year. Simpson has endured mono and arm injuries since being a surprise first-rounder, and one game doesn't make his slow progress any easier to stomach for Cubs fans.

Sox's Duarte, Reds' Atilano suspended Pair of Double-A right-handers to miss 50 games for violations By Danny Wild / MLB.com http://www.milb.com/images/2012/06/22/8znPv8O3.jpg Marco Duarte has appeared in 15 games in the Red Sox system this year. (Willl Bentzel/MiLB.com) NEW YORK -- Reds Minor Leaguer and 2003 first-round Draft pick Luis Atilano and fellow right-hander Marco Duarte of the Red Sox were suspended Friday for violating the Minor League drug program. The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced that Atilano received a 50-game suspension after a second violation for a drug of abuse. Duarte also received a 50-game ban after testing positive for an amphetamine. The suspensions are effective immediately. Atilano, who appeared in 16 Major League games for the Nationals in 2010, has pitched in only two games this season. His last appearance came on April 16 with Double-A Pensacola and he also made one start for Triple-A Louisville but has been on the disabled list for much of the year. The 27-year-old was drafted by the Braves, who traded him to Washington for Daryle Ward in 2006. He was a 2005 South Atlantic League All-Star and went 6-7 with a 5.15 ERA in 16 outings with the Nationals in the 2010. Duarte, 25, has bounced around in recent years but was 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA in 15 outings between Double-A Portland and Class A Advanced Salem this season. He was signed by the Rockies in 2007 and loaned to the Mexican League, selected by the Astros in the 2011 Rule 5 Draft and eventually signed with the Red Sox as a free agent in December 2011. This is his first season with Boston. Major League Baseball has suspended 49 players this year for violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Hamilton shows depth with career night Cincy's top prospect ties career highs with four hits, three RBIs By Sam Dykstra / Special to MLB.com http://www.milb.com/images/2012/06/22/dTYAiU3x.jpg Billy Hamilton's .416 OBP ranks second in the California League. (Ricky Bassman/MiLB.com) Everyone wants to talk about Billy Hamilton's stolen-base total this season and with good reason. After swiping two more bags Thursday, the Bakersfield shortstop has 82 steals on the year, or one more than Delino DeShields, Jr. (46) and teammate Theo Bowe (35) combined. And those two rank third and fourth among all Minors Leaguers respectively in the category. But the Reds' top prospect hasn't earned the hype based on his feet alone, and he proved that Thursday night. Hamilton tied career highs with four hits and three RBIs and added a walk, two runs scored and two thefts in Class A Advanced Bakersfield's 12-2 rout of Rancho Cucamonga. He finished the day 4-for-5 -- all singles -- to push his season batting average to .331, its highest level since May 16. His .416 on-base percentage ranks second in the California League behind only Miles Head's .433 for Stockton. Thursday's contest pitted the switch-hitting Hamilton against Quakes starter and Dodgers' No. 1 prospect Zach Lee. After flying out against the righty to kick off the contest, Hamilton lined a base hit to right field in the second and was consequently caught stealing at second -- his Minors-leading 17th capture on the basepaths -- to close the frame. The two would not face each other again as Lee was pulled after allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits through three innings. Hamilton added his second single of the night off Jon Michael Redding in the fourth and then turned to steal second immediately after. He scored his first run of the night in the seventh when he singled, stole second, reached third on a wild pitch and came home on a sacrifice fly. The Mississippi native rounded the bases again in the eighth on Dominic D'Anna's triple before ending his night with a ninth-inning walk. It was the 2009 second-round pick's first four-hit game since he achieved the feat three times last August for Class A Dayton, including in back-to-back games on Aug. 22-23. Thursday marked the third time this season Hamilton drove in three runs, the last occurrence being in a 6-1 win over Stockton on May 15. Thursday's victory marked Hamilton's first game back with the Blaze following the 2012 Carolina-California League All-Star Game. The 22-year-old was 1-for-5 with two stolen bases and earned Cal League MVP honors for his work as the circuit's leadoff hitter. He was also selected Thursday to represent the U.S. team in the 14th All-Star Futures Game on July 8. Steve Selsky homered twice and scored three times in his Class A Advanced debut for the Blaze. The outfielder was batting .281 with three home runs and 26 RBIs in 59 games for Dayton before receiving the callup to Bakersfield. Tucker Barnhart was a triple shy of the cycle, scored three times and drove in two.

Lefty Del Valle unhittable for Daytona Cuban prospect strikes out career-high 11 over six innings By Andrew Pentis / Special to MLB.com http://www.milb.com/images/2012/06/22/cYOQDRtk.jpg Frank Del Valle signed with the Cubs out of Cuba on June 11, 2011. (Scott Jontes/Four Seam Images) The average pitcher will tell you that the opposing batter's name doesn't change the game. Daytona's Frank Del Valle is no average pitcher. "It was the first time I faced a big leaguer," Del Valle said through an interpreter after facing rehabbing Phillies slugger Chase Utley on Friday night. "It was amazing. I tried my hardest to get him out. I didn't want to hit him that one time." While Del Valle did in fact hit Utley, he also didn't give up a hit to Utley -- or any other member of the Clearwater Threshers for that matter. The Cuba-born prospect recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts over six no-hit innings in the Class A Advanced Cubs' 3-1 victory at Clearwater. Del Valle, a 22-year-old left-hander, retired his final eight batters after plunking the All-Star second baseman in the fourth -- one of two Threshers who were hit by pitches. Over the middle innings, he recorded seven straight outs via strikeouts. He did not walk a batter. "It was my best game," said Del Valle, who also induced Utley's first-inning flyout. "My fastball was good. I tried to throw the first pitch for a strike and then change speeds." Batterymate Micah Gibbs added on the postgame radio broadcast: "He was awesome. Everything I threw down, it was the right thing, and that was because of him." "He was attacking hitters with his fastball like he always does, and that was the best changeup I've seen him have. He pounded the strike zone," Gibbs told MiLB.com. "He was a little bit effectively wild at times and they were swinging at those pitches. This is the second year I've caught him and it is a lot of fun. He's got great stuff." On a 100-pitch limit, Del Valle threw 84 and had been favoring the thumb on his pitching hand when he exited. He said he noticed a blister in the fourth inning, and it broken open in the sixth. "I wanted to stay in," he said. "I wish I could have pitched longer." "He probably could have," Daytona manager Brian Harper said. "But there wasn't any reason to chance anything. He wasn't going to go nine innings. He had already thrown too many pitches. [The blister] is nothing serious, but it's better to be cautious. With his pitch count, it was an easy decision to take him out." The Havana native matched his single-game career high in innings and eclipsed his career best in strikeouts. Del Valle fanned eight over six strong innings in a May 18 win in Palm Beach. He also struck out eight in three no-hit innings in a July 3, 2011 start in the Rookie-level Arizona League. At 5-3 with a 3.63 ERA through 11 games, Del Valle is excelling in his first full pro season. After signing with Chicago on June 11, 2011, he compiled a 3.95 ERA in 14 games across three Minor League levels. "He's thrown some good games, but that was his best by far," Harper said. "He threw a great game. He pitched inside well, changed speeds and it looked like he had a little extra giddy-up on his fastball. It was nice to see." The Cubs' combined no-hit bid ended almost immediately after Del Valle left. After Utley was robbed of extra bases by center fielder Rubi Silva to start the seventh, Jim Murphy homered off right-handed reliever Eduardo Figueroa. Murphy had fanned in both of his at-bats against Del Valle. The longball also ended the Cubs' 23 2/3-inning shutout streak. Scott Weismann allowed the Threshers' second hit -- a double to Cameron Rupp -- in the eighth, before Tony Zych earned his sixth save by pitching a 1-2-3 ninth. Threshers starter Adam Morgan (2-7) gave up all three runs on six hits -- including's Greg Rohan's two-run shot in the first -- and exited with two outs in the fifth. Playing in his eighth rehab game (and fifth in as many days), Utley went 0-for-3 and is batting .172 as he recovers from tendinitis in his knees. He did steal a base.

No DSL update yet, I'm off to bed and will get tomorrow before I leave home.

How many good AZ teams have we had? 2? I'm not surprised at all...