TheCrew07

About to get started here and I just wanted to say that I sincerely hope all this talk of a 4yr pitcher has been a savvy smokescreen put up by the organization hiding their desire for a higher upside player.

Last year we used the Draft Pick Discussion threads that are pinned to the top of the page for "In-Draft Discussion". Assume the same again this year? Also, couldn't agree more on Harold Reynolds, he is going to make every player sound like they will be ready for big league action by this year's trade deadline. It's all marketing baby, that's why the scouting reports from mlb.com have typically been on the side of "the absolute best case"... MLB has a vested interest in making every fan love their draft picks, which is why I haven't historically used MLB for much prospect wise.

I think if platooning Scooter could hit that well from an AVE standpoint, but I don't see it as a full time player, I never have. He's a nice stop gap player who can provide value for cheap but he's never going to be a guy we should look to build around.

Could Betts be every bit as bad as Coulter was behind the plate? It's possible, but I like hitters described in the terms (and I'm paraphrasing) of being "one of the best hitters in the draft class". In the first round the hit tool is incredibly important to me, just like control is to a pitcher... after the first round I'm mostly concerned with a standout out tool or overall level of production but in the first round let's get guys who can put the ball in play or already throw strikes. If he stinks behind the plate you can always give him a shot at 3rd, or the OF, or 1B... it's not like we have a plethora of prospect options at any one position other than SS right now. Upside, upside, upside! Mostly I don't care where (though I'll probably always lean pitching in the 1st), just bring talented players into the organization. Maybe it's just me but I'd rather lose with a prospect laden squad like this year's Timber Rattlers than win with the 2012 version. Prospect wise on that 2012 team Roger's was always fringey, Gagnon was the only pitcher in the rotation who had a legit shot of sticking there, and Rivera had an all or nothing approach at the plate who was more potential than substance. They were fun as a team, but not on an individual level which is really what matters from a MLB standpoint. As the cream rises the AA and AAA teams should win more than they have, but our 2 levels A ball will probably not be all that good.

The Brewers don't have a 1 or 2 either, we have a bunch of 3s, or as average as it gets. There's no huge fall-off from the top guy, but there's no big step up either.

The only exception I can think of was when Melving vetoed Jack Z in the 2nd round of the draft when Yo Gallardo was available. Jack Z didn't like drafting HS arms, and was probably going to draft a HS bat (again), but Melvin stepped in and told him to select Gallardo. At least that's how the story went as I remember it. Actually no, the debate was between Gallardo and Erik Cordier, Melvin was present but the debate was between the scouts and crosscheckers in the room. I would go back and find Colby's post on it but I'm too lazy.

I find myself kind of bummed out by the publicity regarding the Brewer's pick, and I do understand that historically the pundits have had a real hard time nailing down which way the organization is going to go. I firmly believe that the organization needs to be able to field an impact rotation through a combination of the draft and international signings, but I look at our system and we just don't have comparable arms to the best prospects in other organizations. All of our guys work low 90s or upper 80s, or don't have stuff... surely a couple of those guys may out pitch their perceived ceilings and become 2s, but we don't have the Matz, Glasnow, Taillon, (sticking to names I'm pretty sure everyone will know) and so on type players. As an organization we need impact potential at 3B, 1B, and C, and then of course both RH and LH pitching. I find very little value in "quick to the majors" type draft choices when those guys won't be impact players where we are/have been drafting. We have a ton of guys who could be #3s, drafting those guys is just more of the same. We haven't had a young pitcher with impact potential jump to the top of a league leaderboard since Zach Braddock, and thinking of his rapid decent still hurts, but look at how ridiculously good he was (of course I remember he was shut down with injury): [pre]Year Age AgeDif Tm Lg Lev Aff W L W-L% ERA G IP H R ER HR BB SO WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/W 2007 19 -3.0 WestVirginia SALL A MIL 3 1 .750 1.15 10 47.0 28 6 6 1 15 68 0.915 5.4 0.2 2.9 13.0 4.53[/pre] Odorizzi was pretty good but it took him a while to get to WI: [pre]Year Age AgeDif Tm Lg Lev Aff ERA G IP H R ER HR BB SO WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/W 2010 20 -1.6 Wisconsin MIDW A MIL 3.43 23 120.2 99 52 46 7 40 135 1.152 7.4 0.5 3.0 10.1 3.38[/pre] Gallardo was never a plus control guy but here's what he did in A ball: [pre]Year Age AgeDif Tm Lg Lev Aff ERA G IP H R ER HR BB SO WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/W 2005 19 -2.8 WestVirginia SALL A MIL 2.74 26 121.1 100 46 37 5 51 110 1.245 7.4 0.4 3.8 8.2 2.16[/pre] We just haven't had that same level of talent since Jack Z left, and his record drafting pitching was very spotty, I've long argued that they never drafted enough high upside arms during his tenure. I guess what I'm saying is that I'd like to be "wow'd" again, it's been a long time since a Brewer pitching prospect has stood out amongst his peers for me. For years I've been jealous of the upside of the pitching in other organizations as they roll through WI, like when the Jays had Nicolino, Sanchez, and Syndergaard all on the same team... or even someone like the Reds' Amir Garrett who made me say, "Where the hell did this kid come from?" after watching him pitch. By the way, I wouldn't have kept Sanchez, why keep the guy who throws the least strikes? But I digress... [pre]Rk Name Age ERA G IP H R ER HR BB SO WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/W 5 Justin Nicolino* 20 2.46 28 124.1 112 41 34 6 21 119 1.070 8.1 0.4 1.5 8.6 5.67 6 Aaron Sanchez 19 2.49 25 90.1 64 33 25 3 51 97 1.273 6.4 0.3 5.1 9.7 1.90 7 Noah Syndergaard 19 2.60 27 103.2 81 41 30 3 31 122 1.080 7.0 0.3 2.7 10.6 3.94[/pre] Lets get some truly projectable young pitchers into the organization who can grow into their bodies and end up with first tier FBs, maybe they develop their secondary stuff, maybe they don't, but I'd rather take a chance on younger players who are at least 3s when they mature than college pitchers who are a #3 best case on draft day. I'd like a mix of those mid ceiling guys sprinkled through the draft, I like getting the Tyler Wagner and Taylor Williams types, but we just aren't drafting enough young pitchers with legitimate upside each year.

K-Rod has never brought back anything of value but I believe he was referring to off-season trade. Fielder replacing Overbay and now Nelson replacing Gallardo.

Our boy ColbyJack... 2015 MLB Mock Draft Version 3 Patrick Ebert Published: Monday, June 08, 2015 I'd rather him than Funkhouser that's for sure...

Ten Iconic Draft Moments June 8, 2015 by Allan Simpson

MLB Mock Draft 2015: Version 5.1 June 8, 2015 by John Manuel Truth be told I find the word "conservative" as irritating as the phrase "performed well in our workout", I don't have anything to add given my previous comments on Funkhouser.

Youngest And Oldest Players In The 2015 Draft June 8, 2015 by Teddy Cahill

Family Ties In the 2015 Draft Class June 8, 2015 by Teddy Cahill

Ask BA: How Would This Draft Look If High Schoolers Couldn’t Sign June 8, 2015 by J.J. Cooper

TinCaps tip Rattlers 5-4 with three runs in ninth Cordero hits 2-out, 2-run homer for Fort Wayne's winning margin By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers http://www.milb.com/assets/images/1/4/4/129205144/cuts/6_June_6_Rubio_g3w9ow6k_ml1fqfmi.jpg Elvis Rubio doubled three times and drove in a run for the Timber Rattlers on Sunday afternoon against the Fort Wayne TinCaps. (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers/Ann Mollica) GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers were one strike away from their second straight win over the Fort Wayne TinCaps twice. But, the TinCaps rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat Wisconsin 5-4 Sunday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The TinCaps (24-32) got on the scoreboard against Wisconsin starter Cy Sneed in the first inning. Franchy Cordero singled with one out and scored on a double by Nick Torres. That was the only run Sneed would allow in six innings of work. He walked one and struck out five to keep the game close. Wisconsin (17-40) tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Monte Harrison singled and stole second. Gregory Munoz singled with one out and Harrison beat the throw to the plate. The Rattlers had an opportunity to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth against Fort Wayne starter Ernesto Montas. Sthervin Matos singled to start the inning and Elvis Rubio hit a double with one out. The TinCaps intentionally walked the left-handed Alan Sharkey to load the bases and Montas got a strikeout against the right-handed Harrison for the second out. Lefty Brandon Fry came in to face left-handed hitting Tucker Neuhaus and got a strikeout to keep the game tied. Rattlers reliever Zach Cooper took over for Sneed in the top of the seventh and hit the first two batters he faced, but escaped the inning unscathed. Felipe Blanco popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt and Sharkey made a sliding catch in foul territory for the first out. Ruddy Giron was next and his line drive deflected off Coopers glove to Neuhaus. The Rattlers second baseman caught the ball and raced to second to double off the runner for an inning-ending double play. The web gem seemed to energize the Rattlers and they scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead against Fry. Munoz singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Diaz. Carlos Leal chopped a single through the left side of the infield and Munoz scored the go-ahead run. Dustin DeMuth made it 3-1 with a double to the wall in center that scored Leal. Seth Lucio took over for Fry and got Rubio to popup to short right, but Blanco lost the ball in the Sun. The ball dropped in for an RBI double and Wisconsin had a 4-1 lead. Tyler Linehan got the first two outs in the top of the eighth inning, but walked Trae Santos on four pitches and gave up an RBI double to Franmil Reyes. Scott Lieser came in and got the final out of the eighth. Lieser hit the first batter in the top of the ninth inning, but got Jose Ruiz to ground into a double play. Lieser had a 2-2 count on pinch-hitter Edwin Moreno, but gave up a double to right. Lieser got ahead of Giron 0-2, but the next pitch was lined to center for a single to drive in Moreno and cut the lead to a single run. Josh Uhen, the fifth pitcher of the game for Wisconsin, entered the game to replace Lieser. Cordero hit Uhen's first pitch into the Fort Wayne bullpen in left-center for a two-run homer to put the TinCaps up 5-4. Cody Blueberg, Fort Wayne's fourth pitcher of the game, pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to close out a wild afternoon at the ballpark. The series - and Wisconsin's homestand - ends on Monday night with game three between the Rattlers and TinCaps. Wisconsin has named Zach Hirsch (1-3, 4.02) as the starting pitcher. Fort Wayne has named Jose Castillo (0-0, 4.50) as their starter. Game time is 7:05pm. The first 1,000 fans to attend this game will receive a poster of Timber Rattlers catcher and Midwest League All-Star Carlos Leal courtesy of Dunkin Donut Purchase an entrée at any Qdoba location in Appleton, Neenah, or Oshkosh on Monday and receive a ticket to any Monday home game during the 2015 season as part of Qdoba Q*Monday from the Timber Rattlers and NASH-FM. If you can't make it out to Monday's game, there are several ways to catch the action. MyNEW 32'sSports Showdown will televise the game starting at 7:00pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:45pm. The broadcast may also be heard on Tune In Radio and IHeartRadio. Subscribers to MiLB.TV can see the game that way. Home Run: FW: Franchy Cordero (4th, 1 on in 9th inning off Josh Uhen, 2 out) WP: Seth Lucio (4-2) LP: Josh Uhen (1-2) SAVE: Cody Blueberg (4) TIME: 3:14 ATTN: 3,781 Postgame Post – June 7, 2015 Wisconsin Boxscore I thought that Matt Erickson's comments during the post game interview were pretty much spot on regarding the end of the game. Cy Sneed just keeps on keeping on, he's been right there with with AA pitcher Tyler Wagner, and A+ pitchers Jorge Ortega and Javier Salas competing for the organization's most steady hurler in this young season. Elvis Rubio (3-5, 3 2B!), Dustin DeMuth (2-5,2B), and Gregory Munoz (2-5) had the multi-hit games for the Rattlers. Wisconsin Recap

Rattlers homer their way past Fort Wayne By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers http://www.milb.com/assets/images/7/5/2/129067752/cuts/6_June_6_Sthervin_Matos_t7nekk4l_irg0mzt2.jpg Sthervin Matos homered and drove in a pair of runs for the Timber Rattlers in a win over the Fort Wayne TinCaps on Saturday night. (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers/Ann Mollica) GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers got home runs from Sthervin Matos and Elvis Rubio and some solid pitching to defeat the Fort Wayne TinCaps 4-2 on Saturday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in front of the biggest home crowd of the season. Sthervin Matos gave the Timber Rattlers (17-39) a 2-0 lead with something the Rattlers haven't had at home since April 26, a home run. Matos lined a two-run homer to left-center in the bottom of the first inning to give the 6,117 fans something to cheer. Later in the inning, Jake Gatewood doubled to drive in a run. Fort Wayne (23-32) cut the lead to one run with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. Franmil Reyes drew a leadoff walk and Edwin Moreno followed with a single. Miguel Del Castillo doubled to drive in Reyes and send Moreno to third base. Felipe Blanco grounded out to second for the first out and drove in Moreno. That would be it for the TinCaps. Devin Williams retired the next two batters in the second to keep the tying run at third base. In the third, a controversial call allowed Nick Torres to reach base with one out. He popped out to Wisconsin second baseman Tucker Neuhaus for the apparent second out of the frame. But, the ball popped away from Neuhaus as he transferred the ball to his throwing hand and the call was no catch. Trae Santos came to the plate and singled to put runners on the corners. Williams would get out of the inning by getting Reyes to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to keep the Rattlers in front. Wisconsin didn't have to wait twenty games between homers at home after the Matos blast. Elvis Rubio padded the Timber Rattlers lead with a one out solo home run in the bottom of the fourth and the score was 4-2. Williams left the game with two on and two out in the top of the sixth inning in favor of Scott Lieser, who got Del Castillo to foul out to first for the final out of the sixth. Williams allowed two runs on five hits over 5-2/3 innings with two walks and three strikeouts. His performance put him in line for his first Midwest League victory. Angel Ventura took over on the mound in the top of the seventh and he would toss three scoreless innings to nail down the win for Williams and earn his second save of the season. The Timber Rattlers and TinCaps play game two of the series on Sunday afternoon. Cy Sneed (2-7, 2.52) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. Fort Wayne has named Ernesto Montas (4-4, 4.47) as their starter. Game time is 1:05pm. The Ballpark Pup returns to the Fox Cities on Sunday. The Timber Rattlers present Milwaukee Brewers mascot Hank the Dog, who will be making a personal appearance courtesy of Fox Valley Animal Referral Center and Fromm Family Foods. Hank will be available to meet with fans on the third base concourse at the beginning of the game. Fans are encouraged to wear a red shirt to help celebrate World Blood Donor Day and form a human blood drop on the field at 12:30 pm with the Community Blood Center. There is also catch on the field courtesy of Rasmussen College starting at noon and as part of 107.5, The Fan's Brewers Sunday, Timber Rattlers players will wear their special Brewers Sunday jerseys for this game. Players will be available for a postgame autograph session sponsored by Tundraland Home Improvements, too. If you can't make it out to the ballpark, the radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 12:45pm. The broadcast may also be heard on Tune In Radio and IHeartRadio. Subscribers to MiLB.TV can see the game that way. HOME RUNS: WIS: Sthervin Matos (4th, 1 on in 1st inning off Thomas Dorminy, 1 out) Elvis Rubio (1st, 0 on in 4th inning off Thomas Dorminy, 1 out) WP: Devin Williams (1-3) LP: Thomas Dorminy (5-4) TIME: 2:36 ATTN: 6,117 Postgame Post – June 6, 2015 The usual post game awesomeness from Chris and the gang. Wisconsin Boxscore This is the 2nd consecutive start that I chose family and friends over Devin Williams and once again I regret it. I'm going to continue beat this drum but Angel Ventura is the best Brewer pitching prospect no one is talking about. Jake Gatewood is hitting .250 over his last 10 games, normally that wouldn't be something I would highlight but he's finally inched his AVE up over .200 just in time to get dropped to Helena. As mentioned above Sthervin Matos (2-4,HR) had a nice game at the plate, Brandon Diaz (2-3) had the other multi-hit game. Wisconsin Recap

Something Is Up With The Gourriel Brothers June 5, 2015 by Ben Badler

Randy Arozarena, No. 9 Player In Cuba, Headed For MLB June 4, 2015 by Ben Badler

Cuban Second Baseman Andy Ibanez Changes Agents June 4, 2015 by Ben Badler

Updated 2015 HS rankings.

Gaining ground and giving back JEFF DAHN

All of the region updates can be found at the link, here's the great lakes. State Snapshots: Great Lakes PATRICK EBERT DAVID RAWNSLEY

Quick scouting reports for all players. MLB Draft Reports: 1-50 MLB Draft Reports: 51-100 MLB Draft Reports: 101-150 MLB Draft Reports: 151-200 MLB Draft Reports: 201-250 MLB Draft Reports: 251-300 MLB Draft Reports: 301-350 MLB Draft Reports: 351-400 MLB Draft Reports: 401-450 MLB Draft Reports: 451-500

2015 MLB Mock Draft Version 2 ANDREW KRAUSE I'd be okay with this pick, it's always hard to know exactly what you're getting with players from the north. He was covered in the May 7th draft pack and this scouting blog.

MLB Draft Pack: May 28 MLB Draft Pack: June 4