Link Report for Games of Friday, June 27th

[Mass Haas]

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Friday's Daily Menu: TGIF!

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Lindsay Gulin at Round Rock (Astros), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 PM gametime

 

Audio link via WNSR, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/clubs/ip_index.jsp?sid=milb&cid=t556

Huntsville: RHP Donovan Hand at Carolina (Marlins), 6:00 PM pre-game; 6:15 gametime

 

Audio link via WUMP, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/multimedia/audio.jsp?sid=t559

 

Brevard County: LHP Chris Cody at Fort Myers (Twins), 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link via the Miracles' Sportsjuice network (game will not archive, however):

http://www.sportsjuice.com/broadcaster2.aspx?bid=MTQ5-g%2fzH4cwYBjA%3d

 

West Virginia: LHP Dan Merklinger at home vs. Lexington (Astros), 5:50 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link via WSWW, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/clubs/ip_index.jsp?sid=milb&cid=t525

 

Helena: LHP Efrain Nieves at home vs. Billings (Reds), 7:50 PM pre-game, 8:05 gametime

 

Audio link via KCAP, be sure to select the proper date (game will also archive at this link):

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/clubs/ip_index.jsp?sid=milb&cid=t433

 

Arizona: Idle

[Mass Haas]

Follow Friday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Open the Nashville Gameday. For the others, choose "Log" or "Recap". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often.

 

Nashville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_06_27_nasaaa_rreaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_06_27_hunaax_cmcaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_06_27_breafa_ftmafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_06_27_lexafx_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_06_27_bilrok_helrok_1

[Mass Haas]

This link will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds are scheduled to play. Normally it is updated several hours prior to gametime.

 

Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

 

[Mass Haas]

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iowa 45 35 .563 - 25-15 20-20 L2 Memphis 42 38 .525 3.0 18-18 24-20 W4 Omaha 39 38 .506 4.5 15-19 24-19 W6 Nashville 31 49 .388 14.0 17-22 14-27 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tennessee 7 2 .778 - 4-2 3-0 W5 Huntsville 5 4 .556 2.0 3-3 2-1 W2 Carolina 4 5 .444 3.0 1-2 3-3 L2 Chattanooga 3 6 .333 4.0 3-3 0-3 L3 West Tenn 3 6 .333 4.0 0-3 3-3 L5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 6 1 .857 - 4-0 2-1 W4 Jupiter 4 2 .667 1.5 1-0 3-2 W1 Vero Beach 5 3 .625 1.5 1-2 4-1 W3 Daytona 3 3 .500 2.5 1-1 2-2 L1 Palm Beach 3 3 .500 2.5 3-2 0-1 W1 Brevard County 3 5 .375 3.5 1-4 2-1 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delmarva 5 3 .625 - 1-3 4-0 W4 Greensboro 5 3 .625 - 1-2 4-1 L1 Hagerstown 5 3 .625 - 2-2 3-1 L1 West Virginia 4 4 .500 1.0 0-1 4-3 L2 Lakewood 3 4 .429 1.5 2-2 1-2 L2 Hickory 3 5 .375 2.0 0-0 3-5 L2 Lake County 2 5 .286 2.5 0-3 2-2 L3 Lexington 2 6 .250 3.0 1-6 1-0 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Great Falls 8 2 .800 - 4-2 4-0 W2 Billings 6 4 .600 2.0 0-0 6-4 L1 Helena 4 6 .400 4.0 3-4 1-2 W1 Missoula 2 8 .200 6.0 1-6 1-2 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Padres 3 1 .750 - 2-0 1-1 W1 AZL Rangers 3 1 .750 - 1-1 2-0 W1 AZL Angels 2 2 .500 1.0 1-1 1-1 L2 AZL Athletics 2 2 .500 1.0 1-1 1-1 L1 AZL Giants 2 2 .500 1.0 1-1 1-1 W1 AZL Mariners 2 2 .500 1.0 1-1 1-1 W2 AZL Royals 2 2 .500 1.0 2-0 0-2 W1 AZL Brewers 1 3 .250 2.0 1-1 0-2 W1 AZL Cubs 1 3 .250 2.0 1-1 0-2 L1 

[Josh23fan]

Maybe irrelavant to this thread .... but I enjoyed the "Following Inman and Garrison" thread and wish it hadn't been locked.

[Josh23fan]

Wooo Hooo. The Inman/Garrison thread is back. Thank you Mass. I really look forward to posts on that thread.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Carolina (Marlins) 5, Huntsville 2

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

 

Stars Denied A Third Straight Win

Volstad Wins for First Time in Almost Two Months

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

Chris Volstad worked six solid innings and five different hitters knocked in a run in Carolina's 5-2 win over Huntsville Friday night in the fourth of a six-game set at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, NC. The Mudcats evened the series and their second half record at 5-5, while the Stars dipped to 5-5 in the second half and 46-34 overall. The Stars had scored at least seven runs and collected at least 11 hits in each of their prior six games but were held to a season-low three hits by three Mudcats' hurlers.

 

Matt LaPorta singled with two outs in the fourth to grab the Stars' first hit before Cole Gillespie walked and Grant Psomas could not handle a Chris Errecart ground ball that took a late, bad hop and allowed LaPorta to cross the plate with the game's first run.

 

Andy Jenkins led off the home half of the inning with a base hit, moved to third base on a Manuel Mayerson double, his fourth of the series, and scored to tie the game on a fly ball by Brett Hayes. With fairly heavy rain falling in a sky converting from dusk to night time, Gillespie and Freddy Parejo could not locate a fly ball hit by Psomas that landed at the edge of the warning track in center field for a triple that chased home Mayerson to give the Mudcats a 2-1 lead. John Raynor then singled in Psomas with two outs to make it 3-1 before getting thrown out by Gillespie trying to stretch it into a double.

 

Mat Gamel led off the sixth with a triple, his first since April 30, and scored to cut the lead to 3-2 when Angel Salome followed with a single, the last hit for the Stars. Volstad then retired the next three hitters to close his performance, allowing three hits, walking three and striking out two. The number-two rated prospect in the Marlins organization earned his fourth win of the season and first since April 29.

 

Jarrett Santos retired the side in order in the seventh and eighth innings and has set down all nine hitters he has faced in the series. Raynor singled with one out in the seventh, moved to second base when Cameron Maybin walked and advanced to third base on a double steal before Chris Coghlan was intentionally passed to load the bases. Stars' starter Donovan Hand was then removed in favor of Omar Aguilar, who gave up a scoring fly ball to Alberto Concepcion and a two-out run-scoring hit to Andy Jenkins to complete the scoring. Hand suffered his second loss after allowing five runs on nine hits, walking three and striking out two. Chris Mobley worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 12th save of the season and fourth against Huntsville.

 

The series continues on Saturday night with right-hander, and former Mudcat, Nic Ungs taking the hill against Carolina right-hander Brett Sinkbeil. Coverage of the game begins at 5:00 pm central time and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com and www.730ump.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

96 degrees at game time in the Raleigh area; night off for Mike Bell, Guilder Rodriguez 0-for-4 at second base in the leadoff spot, as Freddy Parejo patrolled center field for Michael Brantley; Cole Gillespie walked twice (.380 OBP); Matt LaPorta another HBP; Donovan Hand doing what most 22-year-olds do in AA rotations -- struggle some...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: West Virginia 8, Lexington (Astros) 5

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER OFFENSE STAYS HOT AGAINST LEXINGTON

 

The West Virginia Power offense scored in five different innings of Friday night's game against the Lexington Legends and ended their two-game skid with an 8-5 victory over the Legends at Appalachian Power Park.

 

The Power scored twice in the second inning to take their first lead of the game. Steffan Wilson began the inning with a walk and moved to third on Eric Fryer's double. They both scored on groundouts from Curt Rindal and David Fonseca. Cat Everett and Bryan Brown touched home plate in the third inning to tie the game on a two-out single from Eric Taylor. West Virginia plated three runs to regain the lead in the fourth and never looked back. Wilson scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch and Fonseca drove in the next two on his second homer of the season.

 

Jonathan Fixler belted a two-run homer in the sixth inning to bring the Legends back within a run. Rindal began the bottom of the sixth with his sixth bomb of the season, his second in as many games. Caleb Gindl singled in Eric Farris in the eighth inning and Brian Pellegrini scored on a wild pitch in the eighth to score Lexington's last run. Gindl struck again in the bottom of the eighth with a two-out single to score Farris.

 

Dan Merklinger (2-5) allowed four runs on four hits and fanned seven over five innings to get the victory. Curtis Pasma (1) pitched a perfect ninth inning and got the save. Anthony Bello (2-4) allowed five runs on two hits while walking four over three and two-thirds and was tagged with the loss.

 

The Power improved to 37-41 on the year and 5-4 in the second half with the win, while the Legends fell to 23-55 on the year and 2-7 in the second half with the loss. Every Power player reached safely, while Farris and Gindl both recorded multi-hit games. Gindl paced the Power with a 3-for-5 performance. Lee Haydel went 0-for-4, bringing his 12-game hitting streak to an end while Wilson extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a base hit in the seventh.

 

The Power will continue the four-game series against Lexington Saturday night. Right hander R.J. Seidel (4-4, 5.25) will get the start for the Power and the Legends will counter with right hander Luis Pardo (0-3, 4.05). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score

Rob Bryson a strong three-inning relief stint (one run); Eric Fryer behind the plate rather than in the outfield; because he's been relegated to a utility role, one forgets that David Fonseca was a relatively high (8th round) draft pick last season; no doubt it's getting easier to find positives within the Power's offensive production as of late -- keep it up, boys...

 

West Virginia Game Log

[Mass Haas]

West Virginia Pre-Game Audio Interview with Manager Jeff Isom

Click on the WSWW audio archive of June 27th, then browse to the 39:30 minute mark...

[wvpowerblkwel]

Bryson looked strong tonite hitting 95 a couple times in his second inning. Only runner to score was a guy that he hit who went 1st to 3rd on a poor throw from the catcher on a steal attempt. He just needs some innings...hasn't been used much lately! Gindl with another multi hit nite...looks like he's getting back to form!

[Mass Haas]

Final: Fort Myers (Twins) 2, Brevard County 1

 

Game Summary from the Miracles' Site:

FORT MYERS, F.L. - With wins being tough to come by so far in the second half of the Florida State League season, the Fort Myers Miracle took advantage of a couple of early runs, and held on for a 2-1 win over the Brevard County Manatees. An hour and 21 minute rain delay stopped action in the sixth with the Miracle up 2-0, before Brevard County made things interesting in the eighth.

 

Eli Tintor was in on both bits of offensive damage on Friday night as his 2-for-2 outing paced the Miracle to the two-run win. Tintor led off with a double in the Miracle third. A wild pitch by Manatee starter Chris Cody would push Tintor to third, and allow him to score on a ground ball to third off the bat of Garrett Olson. Olson picked up the RBI for his efforts.

 

A couple of innings later in the fifth, after a Steve Singleton lead-off walk, Tintor second double of the night, this one down the left-field line, would plate Singleton with the final Miracle run. The lone Manatee run would score in the eighth as three straight two-out singles by Jonathan Lucroy, Taylor Green and Charlie Fermaint would bring the 'Tees to within one, now with runners at second and third. Closer Anthony Slama then slammed the door with a strikeout of Stephen Chapman to end the eighth, and three fans to retire the side in the ninth.

 

Miracle starter Cole Devries gets credit for the win blanking Brevard County across six innings of work. Devries gave up a lead-off single to Yohannis Perez in the third and a one-out single to Lucroy in the sixth. Devries walked four and struck out five, improving to 6-6 on the year. Slama notched his 15th save as well.

 

Game three of the series will take place at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central) on Saturday night with post-game fireworks. The Miracle will send RHP Jay Rainville (0-1, 3.12) to the mound against a Manatees hurler to be determined at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

Brevard County Box Score

Taylor Green on base three times -- even in a slightly down (for him) month, Green is going to post an OPS near .800 -- he's for real; Jonathan Lucroy also on base three times -- yeah, he's good, too...

 

Brevard County Game Log

[Mass Haas]

We'll get to the Helena game in a bit, and we'll definitely check the audio archive to get an explanation, but are the H-Crew so short on position players 4th round LHP Josh Romanski had to make his pro debut as a designated hitter tonight? Bizarre...

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Pre-Game Audio Interview with catcher Carlos Corporan

Click on the WUMP audio archive of June 27th, then browse to the 06:00 minute mark; discussion on LHP Brae Wright as well as Carlos' big game Thursday night...

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game "Fridays with Frank" Audio Chat with Manager Frank Kremblas

We always seem to learn something insightful from Frank, which is also credit to Chuck Valenches' interviewing skills...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Nashville 5, Round Rock (Astros) 3

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Laynce Nix photo, text follows --

 

Sounds Take Second Straight From Express, 5-3

 

ROUND ROCK, Texas - Laynce Nix and Brad Nelson connected on back-to-back home runs in the top of the sixth inning to propel the Nashville Sounds to a 5-3 victory over the Round Rock Express on Friday evening at The Dell Diamond.

 

Nashville (32-49) has opened the series with the club's first consecutive wins since June 6-7.

 

Randy Choate started for Nashville and worked a scoreless frame, upping his total to 7 1/3 scoreless innings over four Sounds appearances during his rehab stint.

 

The Express took a 2-0 lead against Sounds left-hander Lindsay Gulin in the bottom of the second. Ray Sadler reached on a one-out double and moved to third on a J.R. Towles single before Nick Gorneault plated him with the game's first run on an RBI infield single. Yordany Ramirez followed with a sacrifice fly to double the Round Rock lead.

 

Round Rock added a third run in the following frame when former Sound J.R. House belted a two-out solo homer to left, his sixth roundtripper of the year.

 

The Sounds jumped on the board in the fifth when Tony Gwynn extended his season-best hitting streak to seven with a one-out double then scored one batter later on a Nix RBI single to make it a 3-1 contest.

 

Nashville jumped in front in the sixth with a four-run rally against Express starter Josh Miller. Nix and Nelson got things started with back-to-back home runs, the Sounds' third pair of consecutive jacks this season. Nix's two-run blast, which also scored Gwynn, was his 11th of the year, while Nelson matched the departed Russell Branyan for the 2008 team lead when he followed by mashing his 12th longball of the season, which gave the visitors a 4-3 lead.

 

AUDIO: Laynce Nix Game-Tying Homer

 

The Sounds extended the advantage to 5-3 later in the frame when Adam Heether singled and later scored in unearned fashion on a two-out Brendan Katin RBI single after moving from first to third on a bad pickoff attempt by Miller.

 

Gulin (4-4) earned the win after he allowed three runs on five hits over five innings of work.

 

Derrick Turnbow followed Gulin to the hill and made his first relief appearance for Nashville in over a month. He allowed one hit and walked a batter in his one-third of an inning, throwing 19 pitches (seven strikes). The right-hander had served as the Sounds' starter in his previous six outings.

 

Tim Dillard followed with 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief, fanning three batters, before turning things over to close Luis Pena, who earned his 12th save of the year with a scoreless ninth.

 

Miller (4-5) took the loss after he surrendered five runs (four earned) on eight hits in his six frames of action.

 

The teams continue the series with another 7:05 p.m. meeting on Saturday. Left-hander Steve Hammond (0-1, 1.50) will head to the hill to make his second career Triple-A start for the Sounds and face an undetermined Round Rock starter.

 

Nashville Box Score

Tim Dillard MVP of this game for bailing out Derrick Turnbow of a one-out bases loaded situation in the 7th -- Turnbow only retired one of four batters, huge pop out / strike out moment for Dillard; only two of Luis Pena's last ten appearances have resulted in 1-2-3 innings, but he's been fantastic limiting the damage, allowing only two runs in that stretch; Randy Choate seems ready to contribute in Milwaukee; 95 degrees at game time...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Minigoon]

If he keeps pitching this way, And That is going to have company on the Santo Manzanillo bandwagon. Another stellar performance tonight with 3 scoreless, no walk innings.

 

Efrain Nieves had another solid outing tonight. 6 innings, 2 runs, 12-3 GO/FO ratio, and still only 18 years old.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 8, Billings (Reds) 2

Helena Box Score

Big six-run fifth and fantastic efforts from LHP Efrain Nieves and RHP Santo Manzanillo -- remember, Nieves was given a late-season reward bump to Helena late in '07 as a 17-year-old, the Brewers see a lot in him, and the results back it up for the Opening Day starter; Manzanillo allowed only two baserunners in his three scoreless innings -- it must be so rewarding for coaches and players alike when these kids are as raw as they can be when first signed and then they start to show not only promise but results, of course sustaining the progress is the key; first pro home runs for John Delaney and Mike Vass, Delaney's coming on the first pitch in the bottom of the 1st and Vass connecting on a three-run shot in the 5th; Erik Komatsu has hit safely in seven of his first eight pro games, with four multiple-hit efforts -- everything from signing day seems to scream professional hitter for this LH college bat...

 

Helena Game Log

 

Helena Bottom 5th

• - Josh Romanski grounds out to first baseman Jose Gualdron.
• - Michael Marseco walks.
• - John Delaney hit by pitch. Michael Marseco to 2nd.
• - Erik Komatsu doubles (3) on a fly ball to center fielder David Sappelt. Michael Marseco scores. John Delaney scores.
• - Pitcher Change: Junior Martinez replaces Justin Freeman.
• - With Christopher Dennis batting, wild pitch by Junior Martinez, Erik Komatsu to 3rd.
• - Christopher Dennis walks.
• - Brock Kjeldgaard out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Michael Konstanty. Erik Komatsu scores.
• - With Corey Kemp batting, Christopher Dennis advances to 2nd on a balk.
• - Corey Kemp walks.
• - Michael Vass homers (1) on a fly ball to center field. Christopher Dennis scores. Corey Kemp scores.
• - Jose Duran flies out to right fielder Michael Konstanty.

[Mass Haas]

Helena Pre-Game Audio Interview with First Base Coach Ned Yost IV

Click on the KCAP audio archive for June 27th, then browse to the 02:30 minute mark; Yost discusses how the coaching opportunity came about, he does sound like his dad with his inflections and such, actually pretty well-spoken...

 

That's four audio interviews tonight, did you take advantage?

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Brewers sweep Mustangs

By JEFF WINDMUELLER - Helena Independent Record

 

The Helena Brewers got the game started off right and closed it even better Friday night as they swept Billings in a short, two-game series with an 8-2 win at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

Lead-off hitter John Delaney belted a home run over the left field fence to start the bottom of the first and Erik Komatsu brought in the winning run with a two-run double in the fifth inning, blasting the Brewers (5-6) to the easy win over the Mustangs (6-5) before 964 fans.

Michael Vass added a three-run homer in the inning to put the game away.

 

The fact that the Brewers did it short-handed made it even more impressive.

 

Helena started Josh Romanski in his professional debut, though it probably wasn't under the circumstances he had hoped for. Drafted as a left-handed pitcher, Romanski, a product out of the University of San Diego, came in as the designated hitter, batting eighth in the lineup.

 

The Brewers, who started the season off with just 25 men on the roster, have suffered four injuries to position players in the last two weeks and were forced to start Romanski.

 

"Basically, I didn't have any other options. I couldn't put both of my catchers in the game, because if one goes down - it just seemed like the logical choice," said Brewers manager Rene Gonzales. "He's a good enough athlete, he played centerfield when he wasn't pitching at USD."

 

Romanski did a good job defending the plate, but finished without a hit, going 0-for-4.

 

It didn't seem to matter as the Brewers took advantage of one tired, and another wild pitcher in the bottom of the fifth to rally from a 2-1 deficit and score six runs.

 

Michael Marseco got it started by walking on with a full-count and Delaney followed it up taking a pitch in the upper arm.

 

With two men on, Komatsu crushed a double off the right-centerfield wall to score both runners for the gamewinner.

 

The Mustangs relieved Justin Freeman to bring in Junior Martinez, but on four straight pitches, Martinez walked Chris Dennis. After the runners advanced on a balk, Brock Kjeldgaard brought Komatsu home with a sacrifice fly.

 

Corey Kemp walked and Vass put the game out of reach when he sent the ball flying over the centerfield wall, making it 6-2.

 

The Brewers scored once more in the seventh inning when Kjeldgaard came home on an RBI single by Jose Duran.

 

Gonzales said he liked the way his team swung the bats in the second half of the game. They had difficulty earlier on when, with no outs and runners on first and third, they were blanked in the third inning. Two of the batters flied out and another struck out swinging.

 

"The swings didn't complement the situation," Gonzales said.

 

Once the players began hitting toward the gaps, they began wearing down the Mustangs' defense.

 

Komatsu finished the game 3-for-5 while Vass was 2-for-3 and Delaney 2-for-4.

 

Mendez led the Mustangs, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBI.

 

The Brewers defense, meanwhile, finished their second game without an error and needed just two pitchers to finish the Mustangs off.

 

Efrain Nieves (2-1) scored the win, giving up two earned runs on seven hits, including a home run by Billings' Carlos Mendez in the second. Nieves struck out three and walked one over six innings.

 

Santo Manzanillo relieved him in the seventh and started off wild, hitting a batter, but then completed the final three innings with four strike outs and just one hit.

 

"He's grown so much the last year, and I'm really proud of him because he's gained so much composure and confidence," Gonzales said.

 

"We've always known him to have a great arm, but he's pitching with conviction now, it's great to see."

 

The Brewers are now one win away from .500. It's a bit of relief for the boys who started off the season by losing their first three games.

 

"The last two nights, more than any other nights, I felt comfortable about the game. Even when we got behind, or they tied it up, I still felt comfortable about it," Gonzales said. "I don't think even us as a team had felt that way, and now we are."

[Mass Haas]

Well, the Helena article mentions four injuries, so we know three are Edgar Trejo's season-ender, plus much less serious injuries (we hope) to catcher Brett Whiteside and OF Cutter Dykstra. By process of elimination, OF Logan Schafer must be hurting.

 

We'll see what we can find out.

 

The Arizona Brewers aren't exactly awash in position players, either. It would make sense to call up to Helena 23-year-old OF Brandon Drespling or 21-year-old infielder Miquel Vasquez, the only two position players older than 20 in Maryvale.

 

The Brewers went very light on non-drafted free agent signees this year (only Drespling), so it may be time to locate another, or to scour the indy ranks for a kid worthy of his first affiliated contract.

[Mass Haas]

Chris Cody Blog - (June 27, 2008)

 

Hello all,

 

I'm in Ft. Myers, Fla. We're playing a four-game series with the Miracle (affiliate of the Minnesota Twins.) Right now I'm just chilling in my hotel room browsing the web while I wait for the bus to take us to the ballpark. I'm pitching tonight, so as usual, I have a few butterflies in my stomach. I suppose it's a mixture of nerves, anxiety and excitement. I usually try to get my mind off of the game by listening to music or taking a walk. Today, I was able to keep myself busy in the Barnes and Noble bookstore across the street from the hotel. I'm usually not much of a reader, but I guess butterflies and boredom make me do strange things to keep my mind occupied. As it gets closer to game time, and I get to the field to start getting ready to pitch, the nerves turn more into excitement and a little extra adrenaline boost. I sometimes catch my mind running in different directions about the other team, about my previous outing, about what I need to work on, and what my pitching coach told me two minutes ago. Making sure I stay relaxed enough to focus on my game plan is sometimes a challenge. I guess that's the sort of thing that separates the men from the boys in this game, the major leaguers from the minor leaguers.

 

Again, hopefully tonight goes well. I'll talk to everyone in a few days.... And as always, thanks for reading.

 

Chris

 

***

 

Cody went five innings Friday, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk and one wild pitch -- no offense behind him, and fell to 0-3 since his return to Brevard.