Your 2008 B.C. Manatees -- Latest: Manatee Jersey Sale

[Mass Haas]

Jeff Sackmann takes his own stab at analyzing the park effects of Space Coast Sttadium, including this note:

Not nearly as dramatic, but it continues to drive home the point about right-handed power. The conventional wisdom is right on the money. The FSL is a pitcher's league, and for righties, hitting at Space Coast is worse than MLBers have it at Petco.

 

Take a gander.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Manatees making moves

Many recent changes in Brevard lineup

BY JIM CAWLEY

FLORIDA TODAY

 

It's a good bet fans who have been to Space Coast Stadium in the past few weeks have asked the questions "Who's this guy?" or "Where's that guy?" on more than one occasion.

 

That's because the Brevard County Manatees, like many teams throughout professional baseball, have made a ton of roster moves during that timeframe. Promotions, demotions, trades, cuts, injuries and rehab assignments have accounted for a flurry of transactions for the Milwaukee Brewers' Florida State League representative since late-July.

 

"Usually around this time it starts flooding with moves," Manatees general manager Kyle Smith said. "It's been busy everywhere."

 

Once Smith and his staff get notification a player is moving, the action normally is swift. A player you just saw the day before could be gone before you get to the ballpark the next day.

 

Recently, such occurrences have been commonplace.

 

"Our intern Sean (McCarthy) knows both Melbourne (International Airport) and OIA (Orlando International Airport) like the back of his hand," Smith said.

 

"Sean really is the last person they get to see. He gets to hear their thoughts on the move. Sometimes the guys who are coming up, they're so wide-eyed."

 

McCarthy figures he's put about 500 miles on the car transporting players in the past couple weeks.

 

"It's been pretty hectic," McCarthy said. "I hadn't seen that many moves in such a short time period."

 

Here is a look at some of Brevard County's recent moves:

 

Jeremy Jeffress. The right-handed starter was promoted to the Double-A Huntsville Stars on Aug. 6.

 

Though he went just 4-6 with a 4.08 ERA with the Manatees, the 20-year-old fireballer dominated at times. He struck out 102 batters in 79 1/3 innings, and was named the Florida State League Player of the Week for June 23-29.

 

"We were lucky enough to go down and watch his last game in Vero Beach. It was quite a performance," Smith said. "When he's on . . . He can crank it up. He's an exciting kid."

 

Jeffress features a fastball in the upper-90s, hitting 99 mph on the gun more than once in a Manatees uniform.

 

Mel Stocker. An outfielder, Stocker -- who turned 28 on Friday -- was transferred to Brevard County from Triple-A Nashville last month.

 

After batting .276 in 64 games with the Sounds this season, Stocker has been tearing up the FSL, hitting .364 in 23 games. He already has three triples and 11 stolen bases.

 

"He's a real good ballplayer," Smith said. "He's got great bat control, and uses his tools very well. He's kind of a coach out there on the field."

 

Stocker was called up to the big leagues last season on Sept. 1 and appeared in nine games for the Brewers.

 

Lou Palmisano. Remember him? A standout catcher for the Manatees in 2005, Palmisano was transferred to Brevard County on Monday.

 

He was an All-Star for Huntsville the past two seasons, and is on the Milwaukee Brewers' 40-man roster.

 

In March, he had surgery on his left knee to repair a torn meniscus. Palmisano has hit .381 in four games as a DH since joining the Manatees.

 

Derek Miller: The 26-year-old left-hander also may ring a bell with local fans. Miller, who is working through some arm issues, was sent to Brevard County on Aug. 5.

 

He started 17 games with the Manatees in 2007, going 4-4 with a 3.71 ERA. This season in Huntsville, Miller is 6-2 with a 4.66 ERA.

 

Taylor Green. The All-Star third baseman is on the seven-day DL after being hit in the right arm with a pitch Tuesday.

 

"Hopefully, he's able to come back here and help us out a little bit down the stretch because he's a nice cog in the lineup," Smith said.

 

J.R. Hopf. The catcher was sent to Brevard County on Thursday, after playing a combined 36 games this season in Huntsville and Nashville.

 

Hopf played 50 games for the Manatees in 2007, batting .219 with three home runs and 15 RBIs. Fans may remember Hopf's deep walkoff home run last season, which hit off the roof of the batting cages behind the right field wall at Space Coast Stadium.

 

"He's got that late-inning pop in his bat, and with as many extra-inning games as we play, that's a nice thing to have," Smith said.

 

The Manatees (25-27) have gone to extra innings four times in their past seven games.

 

Other August moves. On Monday, reliever Robert Hinton was promoted to Huntsville, while catcher Anderson De La Rosa was sent to the Low Class-A West Virginia Power.

 

After a five-game stint in Huntsville, shortstop Yohannis Perez returned to Brevard County on Aug. 5. That same day, second baseman Jimmy Mojica was released.

 

The Manatees have 18 games remaining this season, including 11 at home. They finished the season's first half with a 35-34 record, 6 1/2 games back of the first-place Palm Beach Cardinals in the FSL East.

 

Brevard County is the defending Eastern Division champions.

[battlekow]

Taylor Green is the Brewers' sole postseason FSL All-Star.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Lock, Stocker and barrel

Mel Stocker not letting demotion affect his effort

BY JIM CAWLEY

FLORIDA TODAY

 

Former major-leaguer Mel Stocker has experienced a full range of emotions since being sent down from the Triple-A Nashville Sounds to the High Class-A Brevard County Manatees last month.

 

One thing the 28-year-old outfielder hasn't done since his demotion is let up. Not one bit.

 

In 37 games with the Manatees, Stocker is batting .320 with 10 extra-base hits (seven doubles, three triples) and 19 stolen bases. He has a .376 on-base percentage.

 

More importantly, he hasn't let pride get the best of him.

 

"To be honest with you, it is a pride thing. I don't care who you are, it does hit you pretty hard," Stocker said Thursday before Brevard County's final home game of the season.

 

"It's been five years since I've played in A-ball. So to be sent back and playing in A-ball . . . But the fact of the matter is, you're playing. So, regardless of what your situation may be, you make the best of it, and let whatever happen, happen."

 

By all accounts, Stocker has taken the high road since his arrival. He has taken players 6, 7 -- in some cases 8 years younger than him -- under his wing and tried to help them get better.

 

"I'm 28, so I've got a little bit of age on them," Stocker said through a grin. "But it's a learning experience. You take on more of an elderly role, trying to help guys make it through their day-to-day job."

 

Manatees manager Mike Guerrero has noticed Stocker's efforts.

 

"As a guy who's been successful, he has helped out some of the younger guys who have not been successful in certain situations," Guerrero said.

 

"He comes here to work, and put it all out there. Hopefully, everything goes his way and he has a call-up in September -- that's what you want at this time."

 

In 64 games with Nashville this season, Stocker batted .276, stealing 18 bases in 19 attempts. So you can hardly blame him for being caught off-guard when the Milwaukee Brewers organization gave him the bad news in July.

 

"I walked into the coach's office, and when they were telling me they were sending me down, the reasoning I was given was to come down here so I can get more playing time and steal more bases," Stocker said. "You know, you can take it one way or another. I see it as an opportunity to continue to play and be able to start every day.

 

"I don't know what their intentions are. But all you can do is play your best, hope for the best and see what happens."

 

A 5-foot-10, 160-pound switch-hitter, Stocker played college ball at Arizona State before being chosen in the 16th round of the 2001 Amateur Entry Draft by the Kansas City Royals. He played six seasons in the Royals' minor-league organization -- making it as high as Double-A Wichita.

 

The Brewers signed him to a minor-league contract in Jan. 2007.

 

Stocker played most of last season with the Double-A Huntsville Stars, finishing tied for second in the Southern League with 10 triples and third in stolen bases with 35.

 

On Sept. 1, he got the call to the big leagues. He played in just nine games with Milwaukee, and did not record a hit (0-for-3). But he did have four stolen bases.

 

For many players, a three-level demotion in less than a year would be too much to take. But not for Stocker.

 

"You can't come down and start thinking that way. This game is what you put into it. So, you have to take on that approach, and play well regardless of where you're at," Stocker said.

 

"I may be 28 playing in A-Ball, but if I look at it that way, I might as well shut it down and retire. And I'm not ready to retire. So, I gotta make the best of it and play as well as I can."

 

Stocker and his Brevard County teammates have just two games left -- on the road against St. Lucie today and tomorrow. Stocker plans to finish out the FSL season strong, continuing to convert his circumstances to motivation.

 

And then?

 

"I normally don't look ahead. I try to find out what I can actually contribute to the team that I'm with," Stocker said. "If I end up with someone else, so be it. But I foresee myself being here with Milwaukee once again, possibly in Triple-A."

 

Brevard County Manatees outfielder Mel Stocker has conducted himself with class since being demoted from Triple-A Nashville on July 22. (Photo by Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY)

http://cmsimg.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=A9&Date=20080830&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=808300328&Ref=AR&Profile=1002&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

[Mass Haas]

Florida Today Honors Bobby Bramhall, Mel Stocker for August play

[Rudy]

Bobby Bramhall will finish the season as the statistical ERA leader of the Florida State League.

[Mass Haas]

Chris Cody - September 15, 2008

Manhattan Jaspers and fans,

It's been almost a month since my last installment. A lot has been going on since then. The '08 season has come to a close. Although my Manatees finished below .500, I see the year as a success. A lot of our players were promoted to AA, and just about everyone got better... and that's what its all about in the minor leagues. The 2008 season was also a success for me personally. After starting the year on the DL, my goal all season long was to remain healthy and finish on a good note.

"It's not how you start. It's how you finish that matters." This was the point that the staff drove home during spring training as all of the players got ready to start the season. I knew it was important for me to stay true to that thought. With some luck and a lot of help, I was able to put together a nice season between two levels (low A and high A) and finished with a long string of quality starts that I was quite proud of.

After the season finished on August 31^st, no one could have raced up I-95 any faster than I did. Having been away from home since February 22^nd (without an all-start break to boot), I was anxious to get home and see my family and friends. Hanging out at home and being back in New York with my dad, brother, girlfriend, and friends has been very relaxing and rewarding after all the hard work this season.

It is now September 15^th, and I am back in an airport waiting to go to the home away from home, Phoenix , AZ. This time it's because I have been selected by the Brewers to play in the Hawaiian Winter Baseball League. The plan is for me to go to our facility in Phoenix for about ten days to get ready for the short 40 game season, and then its off to the islands for two months (Not sure why they call it the Hawaiian Winter League... it's over before Thanksgiving.) The league is made up of four teams which are comprised of a mixture of all the MLB teams. It's a place for organizations to send their players to get more experience and a taste of better competition. Players are generally a mix of single A and double A prospects. There will also be some professional Japanese players in the HWB league. I'm looking forward to the whole experience. The Hawaiian league has seen players like Todd Helton, Ichiro, and most recently, Joba Chamberlain on their way to the big leagues. It's a great thing for a player's career, not to mention the idea of spending two months in Hawaii and getting paid for it! I couldn't be more excited about this opportunity. Hopefully I can continue the success I finished the regular season with. I'll try to send updates on my Hawaiian experience as soon as I can.

I want to thank all my family, friends, Jasper fans and everyone else who has followed me and the other Jaspers in pro ball throughout the '08 season. Knowing that people are back home keeping tabs on what we're doing makes all the long days and hard work that much more rewarding.

Another big thanks goes to the Jaspers' SID, Steve Dombroski, for puting this blog together.

Thanks again. Go Jaspers!

Chris Cody

[Mass Haas]

Here's a thread in the Trading Post Forum about Manatee jerseys.

Since you need to be signed in and a Brewerfan Yuku member to view that forum (and why aren't you yet?), here's the text but updates will only be posted in the Trading Post thread.

Starting today, the Manatees will be auctioning off their official game worn jerseys from last season. The minimum bids are $150 for both home and road (white & gray) and $130 for the alternate (blue) jerseys. A $10 shipping charge will be added for those of you that will require it. The auction will end at exactly 5pm (EST) October 31st. Each Friday I will send out an email updating the status of each jersey and the latest bid. Think of it as a relaxed eBay setting.

The jerseys available are as follows: W=white, G=gray, B=blue

#1- G,B
#2 - #5 - W, G, B
#6 - G, B
#7 - #11 -W, G, B
#12 - W
#13 & #14 - W, G, B
#15 - G & B
#16 - W & B
#17 - #21 - W, G, B
#22 - W & B
#23 - W, G, B
#24 - G & B
#25 - W & G
#26 - #27 - W, G, B
#28 - W & B
#29 - #32 - W, G, B
#33 - G & B
#34 - #39 - W, G, B
#40 - G
#41 - W, G, B
#43 - #48 - W, G, B

If you'd like info on what player(s) have worn the jersey you're interested in. Please feel free to email us at info@spacecoaststadium.com and we'll find out.

Kyle J. Smith
General Manager
Brevard County Manatees
High-A, Milwaukee Brewers
321-633-9200 x3007 office
321-633-4418 fax

*******

Here's the current roster from MiLB.com which included jersey numbers.