Link Report for Friday, the 4th of July

[Mass Haas]

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

[Mass Haas]

Friday's Daily Menu: Welcome to another Link Report, your safe haven from Guillermo Mota...

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Chris Narveson at home vs. Round Rock (Astros), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 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: LHP Troy Cate at home vs. Birmingham (White Sox), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 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: RHP Jeremy Jeffress at home vs. Daytona (Cubs), 6:00 PM gametime

 

Audio link via the Daytona feed (game will also archive at this link):

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/multimedia/audio.jsp?cid=503&sid=t503

 

West Virginia: 2008 supplemental 1st round LHP Evan Frederickson makes his Power debut at home vs. Hagerstown (Nationals), 2:50 PM pre-game, 3:05 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: RHP Michael Bowman at Billings (Reds), 4:50 PM pre-game, 5:05 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: TBD at the Giants' complex in Scottsdale, 10:30 AM local Mountain Standard Time

 

Never any audio for the Maryvale Crew...

[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_07_04_rreaaa_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t559&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_04_biraax_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_04_dbcafa_breafa_1

 

West Virginia:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_04_hagafx_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_04_helrok_bilrok_1

 

Arizona:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_04_brrrok_giarok_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 53 36 .596 - 33-16 20-20 W6 Memphis 47 40 .540 5.0 23-20 24-20 W2 Omaha 41 44 .482 10.0 17-21 24-23 L4 Nashville 34 53 .391 18.0 17-22 17-31 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tennessee 11 5 .688 - 6-4 5-1 L1 Carolina 8 8 .500 3.0 3-3 5-5 L1 Huntsville 8 8 .500 3.0 3-3 5-5 W1 Chattanooga 7 9 .438 4.0 5-5 2-4 L1 West Tenn 6 10 .375 5.0 1-5 5-5 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Lucie 8 6 .571 - 6-2 2-4 L3 Daytona 7 6 .538 0.5 4-1 3-5 W3 Vero Beach 7 6 .538 0.5 2-3 5-3 L1 Palm Beach 6 6 .500 1.0 5-4 1-2 W1 Jupiter 5 6 .455 1.5 1-2 4-4 L4 Brevard County 5 8 .385 2.5 1-4 4-4 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Virginia 10 4 .714 - 6-1 4-3 W6 Lakewood 9 6 .600 1.5 4-2 5-4 W6 Hagerstown 8 6 .571 2.0 3-4 5-2 L3 Lake County 7 8 .467 3.5 2-5 5-3 L1 Delmarva 6 8 .429 4.0 1-5 5-3 W1 Greensboro 5 9 .357 5.0 1-6 4-3 L7 Hickory 5 10 .333 5.5 2-5 3-5 L1 Lexington 3 12 .200 7.5 1-8 2-4 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billings 11 6 .647 - 3-0 8-6 W4 Great Falls 10 7 .588 1.0 5-4 5-3 L4 Helena 9 8 .529 2.0 5-6 4-2 W3 Missoula 4 13 .235 7.0 1-10 3-3 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Arizona League (R) - Arizona League Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AZL Angels 7 3 .700 - 3-2 4-1 W2 AZL Rangers 7 3 .700 - 3-2 4-1 W4 AZL Giants 6 4 .600 1.0 4-1 2-3 W1 AZL Royals 6 4 .600 1.0 6-0 0-4 W3 AZL Padres 5 4 .556 1.5 4-0 1-4 L1 AZL Athletics 4 6 .400 3.0 2-3 2-3 L2 AZL Cubs 4 6 .400 3.0 4-1 0-5 L1 AZL Mariners 4 6 .400 3.0 2-2 2-4 L4 AZL Brewers 1 8 .111 5.5 1-4 0-4 L5 

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

First-round pick making Class A debut

By Nick Scala

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

Evan Frederickson, a first-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers last month, will celebrate the Fourth of July by making his first Class A start with the West Virginia Power.

 

A 6-foot-6, 240-pound left-hander drafted out of the University of San Francisco, Frederickson will take the mound for today's 4:05 PM (3:05 Central) game with the Hagerstown Suns.

 

Power pitching coach John Curtis likes what he sees of Frederickson, who was the 35th overall pick in the draft as a supplemental first-round compensation selection. Frederickson, 21, was promoted from the Brewers' rookie Pioneer League team in Helena, Mont., after just three starts.

 

"I just got my first look at him the other day during a bullpen session," Curtis said. "I've been listening to the reports from Helena, where he did very well, which is why he's here."

 

In three starts at Helena, Frederickson did not figure in any decisions but posted a 3.09 ERA. He struck out 16 in 11 2/3 innings, allowed 13 hits and walked five.

 

"He's got good size, throws a good fastball - probably in the low 90s [mph] - a slider and changeup," Curtis said. "He's got some good sink to his fastball."

 

Curtis said Frederickson, just a little more than a month removed from college, will take Mike Ramlow's spot in the Power starting rotation, with Ramlow shifting back to the bullpen.

 

"He'll be a starter the rest of the year, absolutely, but we'll bring him along slowly," Curtis said. "You've got to remember, a kid like this coming out of college probably pitched one day a week."

 

At USF this spring, Frederickson went 5-3 with a 4.54 ERA. He recorded 109 strikeouts in just 75 1/3 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .216 batting average.

 

Curtis said Frederickson will be limited to 80 pitches today.

 

"We're gonna nurture him, we don't want to break him down," he said. "We'll take it easy on him early on. I'm in a watch-and-wait position like everyone else."

 

Frederickson was drafted out of high school in Oak Hill, Va., in the 27th round by the Minnesota Twins in 2005 but opted for college ball at Virginia Tech.

 

"I was supposed to go before [the 27th round], but you never know how the process works," Frederickson said. "Once I fell to the 27th round I never really considered going [to the Twins], because I knew I was better than that. Going to college turned out to be a good decision."

 

But going to Virginia Tech, apparently, was not. After two seasons in Blacksburg, he transferred to USF.

 

"I just never really got in a good rhythm pitching-wise [at Virginia Tech]," he said. "I liked everything about the school, I just wasn't pitching how I knew I was capable. I found a new school, and a pitching coach I liked."

 

Frederickson credits USF pitching coach Greg Moore with his development.

 

"He helped me a lot with every aspect of pitching, physical and mental," he said.

[Mass Haas]

Might I add a few semi-random thoughts, and feel free to comment here, as a bit of banter is always worthwhile before the day's game action begins in several hours.

 

How about Taylor Green with another home run Thursday night with scouts in attendance? There will likely be more than one deadline deal made by Doug Melvin. If an Alex Periard can sweeten a potential deal, then wonderful. Let's not forget that the Manatees' kids could be part of the process in any multi-player 'let's even things out on both sides' kind of deal.

 

Speaking of scouts in attendance, it sure hasn't applied any pressure to the Huntsville kids, huh? Says all the more about their talent, not a lot of "0-for's" the past few games on the road, despite mixed results in the won-loss department.

 

Awfully quiet on the trade front in terms of Nashville, which is expected. But with all four top rung affiliates being home this weekend, here's hoping the local press turns up a nugget or two on the trade front that the national press may miss. C'mon, Huntsville Times, chase down those scouts and their notepads.

 

Jonathan Lucroy rocks.

 

Does everyone have a completely different kind of buzz over the deadline this year? I can't remember a more exciting time to be a Brewer fan (post-1982, when I did from afar, pre-internet, obviously), and the fact that the minor league system is tied to so much of the Brewers' current success and the trade talk is fantastic. This will surprise many of you ("how could Mass Haas allow for the trade of any one of the precious kids on the farm?"), but any deal that does not involve a certain Venezuelan Huntsville shortstop will probably be looked upon by these eyes as a big positive. I'm 45 years old, I need me a National League pennant, minimum. The 2008 jibe is strong, despite yesterday's Arizona 9th-inning flameout.

 

And by the way, I've never disparaged Mr. J.J. Hardy -- I just wish the Brewers had played their free agency clock right, and never had J.J. up on Opening Day in 2005. Wait a few weeks, and Hardy would be a free agent after 2011, not 2010. One of Doug Melvin's biggest mistakes by far.

 

And yeah, this is going to come off as real self-appreciation, sorry, but I am hopeful that through the reminders of the Jim Powell's and Adam McCalvy's of the world, that Brewerfan's Minor League Forum and the Link Reports have allowed the conversation on the trade front to be educated discussions. While I can't say for sure who among the Milwaukee media are with us each day, when I listen to Drew Olson or Homer via the archived interviews, I do hear little tidbits on certain prospects that have only been mentioned here. The fact that a good number of the "just above casual" to diehard fans really can dissect any future trades intelligently based on a little of what we provide does my heart good. And that's not dissing the casual fans, there's a line in your fandom one has to cross before you can enter a nice juicy Michael Brantley discussion, for instance. Anyway, thanks for reading.

 

By the way, for you Brantley lovers out there, his ankle spain may have happened at an opportune time -- that's one player scouts haven't seen over the past week.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

First-round pick Frederickson ready to go for Power

West Virginia takes six-game win streak into today's holiday 4:05 PM (3:05 Central) start

by Michael Dailey

Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter

 

Scott Linebrink has never suited up for the West Virginia Power, but a pair of transactions in the past year has made the nine-year Major League veteran pitcher a central figure in the Power's past, and now future.

 

Linebrink's West Virginia connection began last July 25, when the Milwaukee Brewers swapped three former Power players for the veteran right-hander.

 

Linebrink was acquired from San Diego for former Power pitchers Joe Thatcher, Steve Garrison and Will Inman in an effort to bolster the Brewers' bullpen during the season's final month.

 

However, after compiling a 2-3 record with a 3.55 ERA in 27 games with the Brewers, Linebrink signed a four-year, $19 million free agent deal with the Chicago White Sox last November.

 

As part of the compensation for losing Linebrink to free agency, Milwaukee received a supplemental first-round pick in last month's amateur baseball draft. The Brewers used that pick to select left-handed pitcher Evan Frederickson with the 35th overall selection.

 

Frederickson did not sign when he was drafted in the 27th round (825th overall) by Minnesota in the 2005 draft, and instead he spent two years at Virginia Tech before transferring to the University of San Francisco last season.

 

Frederickson went 5-3, with a 4.54 ERA and 177 strikeouts in 132 innings with USF.

 

Now, after just three starts at the Brewers' rookie league club in Helena, Mont., in which he had no decisions in 11 2/3 innings pitched and a 3.09 ERA, the 6-foot-6, 240-pound Frederickson is poised to make his West Virginia debut today against the Hagerstown Suns at Appalachian Power Park.

 

Frederickson's start will come in the midst of an important four-game series between the Power and Suns, who are currently first and third, respectively, in the South Atlantic League's Northern Division standings.

 

West Virginia (10-4) expanded its lead over the Suns to two games with a 3-2 win in Thursday night's series opener, and now lead the second place Lakewood Blueclaws by 1 ½ games. It was the Power's sixth straight victory.

 

"I'm really excited about being with the Brewers," Frederickson said. "I was expecting a phone call or something before I got picked, but I was just watching T.V. with my family and some friends, when I saw my name show up on ESPN.

 

"It was an awesome feeling. I knew the Brewers were interested in me because I threw well in their tryout and was talking to their scouts a lot. I also knew that they had six picks in the first two rounds, so I knew I had a good chance of going there, I just didn't know where."

 

Frederickson said three years in college has helped to better prepare him for the grueling life of a minor league baseball player.

 

"It definitely helped me out," Frederickson said. "I feel like I'm 100 times better off now coming into pro ball than I was coming out of high school.

[Mass Haas]

Link Report Bonus:

This Mississippi blogger caught up with that state's native son, Tim Dillard, recently. You'll notice another link to the right on Bill Hall (did you know Dillard and Hall faced each other in high school a few times?).

[Mass Haas]

2007 9th round LHP out of a Texas high school, 19-year-old Kristian Bueno, is the Maryvale starter today.

Don Money is Jim Powell's guest on the pre-game today, via telephone from Huntsville. We'll link as soon as available.

[twobrewers]

Speaking of scouts in attendance, it sure hasn't applied any pressure to the Huntsville kids, huh?

I was wondering about that this morning actually.

 

Do you think the Huntsville kids feel pressure with scouts watching them? I mean, they are already professional baseball players. They already have a parent club - and they send reports to the Brewers all the time. So in a sense, they are always being "scouted" by the Brewers already. Do they want to get traded?

 

It just seems like Cleveland scouts being in attendance shouldn't be that big of a deal.

[Mass Haas]

Don Money is Jim Powell's guest on the pre-game today, via telephone from Huntsville. We'll link as soon as available.

Here you go. I don't need to tell you, but I will -- good stuff.

[TheCrew07]

You sir, are such a stud, that you can get away with quoting yourself...

 

Money said Brantley has an average arm and can go get the ball in CF.. I know there might be some spin there, but he was pretty candid about the other guys. I find his comments about Brantley very encouraging, especially the part about getting him to settle in box and not slide around, which has helped his power.

 

I was interested in how he quickly broke down Gamel's defensive issues for the listeners, that was well done. I was surprised that Money jumped on the Boggs bandwagon, but he made it a point to highlight that Gamel has more power than Boggs did.

 

LaPorta is just holding his own? After he elaborated some it made it more sense, that LaPorta needs to make better adjustments as the pitchers adjust to him, but still he's hitting almost .300 with 20 bombs.

 

As far as Salome goes he pretty much echoed what coach had said earlier.

 

The comments about Escobar were pretty much par for the course... far and away the best shortstop in the league, thinks he could be a .280 hitter.

[BrewPackBuck]

Looks like Fryer and Wheeler have switched spots in the lineup for todays game. I find that interesting.

[DHonks]

Frederickson with a rough 1st inning. Nothing hit hard, but does much have to be hit hard when the inning features a bunt single, 3 walks, and 5 wild pitches? Much better 2nd inning for Neugebauer...er, Frederickson

[Mass Haas]

Final: Arizona Giants 6, Arizona Brewers 1

Serious case of Groundhog Day taking place in Arizona...

 

Arizona Box Score

The Maryvale kids had three hits, 13 K's and drew no walks today; after ten games, the team is hitting .201 with a .270 OBP and a .284 SLG (.554 OPS); they are last in the nine-team league in batting average, hits, runs, doubles and home runs, next to last in walks, and have struck out 107 times (over ten times a game and 20 more times than any other team); the only plus is a nice SB total and rate (16-for-20); RF Jose Rangel tripled, he's now 3-for-28; big 1B Pedro Ramos had two singles and rumbled on stolen bases to second base each time; RHP's Marcus Salmon and Joel Morales had nice relief outings, neither has walked a batter yet...

 

Arizona Game Log

[scottfossum]

Anything known about why Jeffress didn't get the start. All this trade talk gets me reading to much into everything.

Also nice to see Frederickson settle down in his first chance at A ball

[TheCrew07]

Anything known about why Jeffress didn't get the start. All this trade talk gets me reading to much into everything.

Also nice to see Frederickson settle down in his first chance at A ball

Cody was supposed to start yesterday and they only got one game in, so I assume that bumped him back a day and we'll see Jeffress tomorrow.

[CheeseheadInIllinois]

Anything known about why Jeffress didn't get the start. All this trade talk gets me reading to much into everything.

Also nice to see Frederickson settle down in his first chance at A ball

Wasn't Cody supposed to pitch in the doubleheader game last night that got canceled? They just might not have wanted to skip his turn.

edit: Oops, beaten to it.

[bretsky07]

Does anyone know if Errecart left the Huntsville game due to an injury? All this CC trade rumoring has me jumping at every little thing.

 

 

Also, very nice outing for Chris Narveson tonight. 6IP, 2ER, 5H, 0BB, 5K. Much more like the Narvy we saw in spring.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio from Thursday with Chat with Starting Pitcher Sam Narron

Sluggin' Sam proud of his 3-for-4 plate effort the other night -- complete game? Oh yeah, that too...

 

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Manager Frank Kremblas (Fridays with Frank)

Laynce Nix dealing with a sore heel, Chris Woodward with headaches -- both day-to-day, not in Friday's lineup...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Hagerstown (Nationals) 4, West Virginia 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

POWER STREAK SNAPPED AT SIX

 

The Hagerstown Suns took an early lead in Friday afternoon's game at Appalachian Power Park and despite being out-hit 11-5, they snapped West Virginia's six-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory.

 

Tim Pahuta reached on a fielder's choice in the first inning and plated Boomer Whiting in the process. Lefty Evan Frederickson threw a total of five wild pitches in the first inning and two of those plated the final two runs for the Suns. West Virginia got their first run in the bottom of the first on Eric Fryer's RBI double.

 

Zelous Wheeler hit a solo shot in the sixth inning, his seventh of the year to pull the Power within a run. West Virginia tied the game in the seventh inning on Eric Farris' single that scored Matt Cline. Valerio Heredia began the eighth inning with a walk, moved to second on an errant throw from Corey Frerichs, made his way to third on a passed ball and scored the go-ahead run on Travis Reagan's infield single.

 

Kyle Gunderson (4-1) entered in the seventh inning and kept the Power off the board, allowing just a pair of hits over two and two-thirds to get the win. Frerichs (3-6) was tagged with the loss after surrendering just an unearned run on two hits over two innings of work. Frederickson settled down after a long first inning and went four innings, allowing three runs on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts. Curtis Pasma tossed three perfect innings of relief.

 

The Power fell to 42-42 on the year and 10-5 in the second half with the loss. The Suns improved to 43-41 on the year and 9-6 in the second half with the win. Four Power players recorded multi-hit games including Farris and Fryer who paced the Power with three hits apiece. Fryer has six hits in his last two games and hit safely in five straight. Farris's three-hit performance extended his hitting streak to seven games and Caleb Gindl singled in the third inning to extend his hitting streak to ten games.

 

The Power will continue the four game series against Hagerstown Saturday night. Right hander Evan Anundsen (7-4, 3.38) will get the start for the Power and the Suns will counter with right hander Colton Willems (5-4, 3.63). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score

You get the sense that Evan Frederickson is going to be an all-or-nothing first round pick -- poor catcher Anderson de la Rosa established a personal relationship with the backstop wall in that frightening first inning, be sure to view it in the game log; Eric Farris has really picked it up, as was expected (18-for-45, .400, in his last ten games with three walks and only three strikeouts); Eric Fryer, discussed elsewhere in this forum, now at .500 in his last ten games (17-for-34, six walks) -- that's just insane...

 

West Virginia Game Log

Power 3rd inning was tough -- bases loaded, one out, no runs; 10 stranded overall...

[molitor fan]

With his two homers tonight bumping his league leading total to 7 (2nd place has 4), Chris Dennis now has more home runs that the entire Idaho Falls team(6).

 

Edit: I think we all need a review of Colby's excellent report on the players of our 2007 draft

 

http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewArticle.do?articleId=269

[Mass Haas]

Final: Billings (Reds) 11, Helena 3

 

Helena Box Score

There's a new 3TO (OK, Three True Outcomes -- HR, BB, K) on the horizon, folks, and as noted above, it's Chris Dennis, the 19-year-old drafted in the 13th round last year out of Ontario, Canada, eh; Dennis hit five Arizona League home runs last season in 99 AB's, and now has seven bombs in only 66 Pioneer League AB's -- 27 walks and 61 K's over those two years, and yes, he's a LH bat; RHP Michael Bowman shined in his first three starts, but faltered here; 19-year-old RHP and bonus baby Rolando Pascual has done nothing over four relief stints to show that he can cope with Pioneer League batters -- 8 IP, 11 H, 12 BB, only 3 K's, 16 R (18.00 ERA), he's a switch-hitter, can we just convert him already? Just joshing, good luck, Rolando. How hot was OF Erik Komatsu's start? He's 0-for-9 in his last two games and still hitting .322; speaking of heat, 100 degrees in Helena for this one, and these kids thought they were escaping that fleeing from Maryvale; over 3,100 in the new Billings ballpark, which opened earlier this week...

 

Helena Game Log

[bretsky07]

Gillespie with a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th!