Your 2009 Timber Rattlers -- Latest: OF Erik Miller interview & RHP Trey Watten update

[Mass Haas]

Thanks to Chris Mehring for the heads-up --

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Brewers' prospect Lawrie hopes playing 2nd was the right move

By Rob Lucas

Beloit Daily News correspondent

 

Milwaukee Brewers' prospect Brett Lawrie knew learning second base wouldn't be easy, but he didn't think it would hurt so much.

 

The Canadian-born Lawrie took a grounder in the face during a game last week and suffered a broken nose and swollen left eye, but that's been the only blemish during his first season in professional baseball. The 16th overall pick in the 2008 First-Year Player draft has sparkled at the plate and made strides in the field for the Wisconsin TimberRattlers, the Brewers' new single-A affiliate.

 

When he was drafted, Lawrie was announced as a catcher, but he and the Brewers' front office decided to make the switch to second base during spring training. He has seven errors on the year, but none since May 9.

 

"We both (Lawrie and the front office) agreed to it, but catcher wasn't a position I could see myself playing every day," the 19-year old said. "I like catching, but I think this way I can get there (to Milwaukee) quicker."

 

It was during instructional league after last season when the Brewers started working Lawrie out behind the plate and also about the same time he decided catcher wasn't a long-term possibility for him.

 

"I think instructional league drove me away a little bit," he said. "I was blocking balls all day, taking them in the neck and arm. It wasn't fun. Maybe I would have liked it more had I played it as a kid, but I just didn't feel good when the day was done."

 

While Lawrie, like a lot of Brewers' prospects, seems to be without a position, his bat is anything but a question mark. He is hitting .282 with six doubles, four triples, five homers, 29 RBI, 21 runs and 11 steals in 139 at-bats - impressive numbers in a league that notoriously eats up young players.

 

"They will find a spot for me if I can hit and drive in runs," he said. "I'll play shortstop, third base, outfield - it doesn't matter to me."

 

One advantage Lawrie has over his American counterparts is he has been using a wooden bat for a few years. Most American players use metal bats until they are drafted, making it difficult as they adjust to faster and better pitching. It's also difficult for scouts who project how metal bat players will transition to the professional game. With Lawrie, that wasn't a problem.

 

"It was big for me - using a wood bat at such a young age," he said. "You really have to get a feel for the sweet spot. You can miss with a metal bat and still hit well. With a wood bat, you can't miss."

 

Lawrie is a bit more seasoned than most 19-year-olds, too, as he was a member of the Canadian Olympic team in Beijing last summer. Though it was a short-lived experience, it's one Lawrie won't forget.

 

"I can't even explain it," he said. "Everyone was very excited and friendly and wanted pictures with us. It was really awesome."

 

It's been an exciting year for Lawrie as he was a first-round pick, an Olympian, watched his new parent club make the playoffs for the first time since 1982, a member of the Canadian World Baseball Classic team and started his own professional career.

 

Playing for his country in the Olympics and WBC meant a lot to Lawrie, but the most promising thing for his future was seeing the Brewers finally competing for the playoffs again and doing it with a core of young players.

 

"I know the Brewers aren't the Yankees and just buying an All-Star team," he said. "They have good chemistry with a bunch of young guys that weren't in the minors for that long."

 

While he is enjoying his time as a TimberRattler, Lawrie said he is always working hard and trying to improve and get moved up to the next level.

 

"I'm not too worried about it right now," he said. "Obviously, I'd like to move up quickly, but I'm just going to keep working hard and hope I get a chance."

[Mass Haas]

Brock Kjeldgaard Profile on YouTube

[804Sox]

Hey, what's up . . . I'm new here and was hoping that some of you guys who have been following the Brewers minor league system for a while could help me out

 

First, it seems that most responses in this thread have reflected positively on Lawrie's move to second, but doesn't that severely limit his upside as a prospect? X ellence mentioned that there aren't a lot of good 2B prospects in the minors, but it seems to me that this is a result of many of them coming up, at least in the lower levels, as shortstops. Dustin Pedroia comes to mind here (shifted off short for Hanley) as well as Emiliano Bonafacio (for Drew). Following the draft last summer, it seems that Lawrie's value was tied largely to an anticipated move behind the dish, where his bat would play up. Does he have the type of bat to be an impact offensive player elsewhere on the diamond, specifically at second?

 

Second, where's the love for Michael Bowman? He's a little old for his level, but he's pitched pretty well in full season A for almost a full year, and his strikeout rates and K/BB are much improved this year to complement his solid ERA. What's the general concensus among you guys regarding his future prospects, and what more does he have to do this year to get a shot in Brevard county?

[battlekow]

If Lawrie can stick at second, it limits his upside as a prospect only in the sense that second base isn't as valuable a defensive position as catcher; however, second base is still a plenty valuable defensive position in its own right, and finding a bat as good as Lawrie's that can hack it at second is a plus. Now, if Lawrie had to move to right field or first base, that would severly limit his upside. As far as "second base prospect" being somewhat of an oxymoron, it's true that many Major League second basemen began as shortstops, because players naturally progress to less-difficult positions as they age, bulk up, and slow down. Oftentimes players who enter professional baseball as second basemen lack the athleticism to play there at a high level, but it's not unheard of, as we should well know with Rickie Weeks. Weeks, like Lawrie, has more than enough athleticism to play second base, but is lacking in fluidity and experience.

[TooLiveBrew]

First, it seems that most responses in this thread have reflected positively on Lawrie's move to second, but doesn't that severely limit his upside as a prospect?

 

One factor that Lawrie himself mentioned regarding the move from C to 2B was that it will allow him to reach the majors quicker. And from every account I've read so far, Lawrie absolutely has the bat to stand out at second.

[804Sox]

If that is the case - that his bat will play up at second also - then it would seem to be a good move. He'll get to the majors faster and get more starts and PAs per season, and not playing catcher will likely prolong his career substantially from a health/durability standpoint.

[Mass Haas]

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Commanding the curve

By Matt Trowbridge, Rockford (IL) Register Star

ROCKFORD - Cody Scarpetta's "12 to 6" curveball breaks so much it's almost impossible to hit.

 

"He's got a big curveball," Wisconsin Timber Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook said.

 

That big curve is a big reason why Scarpetta, an 11th-round draft pick out of Guilford in 2007, is listed as the Milwaukee Brewers' 11th-best prospect by baseball-intellect.com. But it's also a reason he is averaging 5.8 walks per nine innings for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in the Class A Midwest League.

 

"It's a tough pitch for anybody to throw," Hook said before a game against the Beloit Snappers last month. "He's got a lot of depth on that pitch. There's more of a learning curve with that. He'll struggle with it at times during games, then he'll throw a few and it's like, Whoa! That's a special pitch."

 

Scarpetta, a 20-year-old right-hander, said a curve that breaks down as much as his is far tougher to throw for strikes than a slider, which features a shorter and more sideways break.

 

"You've got to have a good feel of where you want to start it, and it's a difficult pitch to get a feel for," Scarpetta said of his curve, which he now throws only 10 percent of the time and only when he's ahead in the count. "I don't have much feel for it now, but I think I will get there."

 

Strikeouts - he's averaging 11.6 per nine innings - make Scarpetta a big-time prospect, and controlling his curve is the key to making pro hitters look foolish.

 

"I've always been a strikeout guy, but pro ball is a totally different game," said Scarpetta, who is 1-3 with a 4.68 ERA in 32 2/3 innings in his first full season as a pro. "In high school, it's hard to catch up to any guy throwing 85 mph and above. But everyone you come across here is going to be able to hit a fastball. Even in A ball, they will hit a 95 mph fastball. It's about mixing pitches up and keeping them off-balance.

 

"That's what's good about my curveball; it comes out of the hand looking like a fastball. Sometimes I do a good job of keeping hitters off-balance. That's when high strikeout numbers come to me."

 

In high school, and in his first pro season in rookie league last year, Scarpetta just needed his curveball to break, no matter where it broke. Now he has to show he can throw it for a strike.

 

"At the lower levels, you can just throw that breaking ball in front of the plate and batters are swinging at it," Hook said. "As you go higher up, they don't swing at it anymore. When Cody needs to throw it in the dirt, he just throws the heck out of it. But he knows he has to be able to throw both his breaking ball and his change-up when he's behind in the count for strikes. Those are big keys, and he's slowly developing that."

 

As much as Scarpetta needs to control his curveball - "Commanding a secondary pitch is when you can pitch," he said - his fastball will always be his main pitch. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Scarpetta throws consistently between 90 and 93 mph.

 

"You just can't teach hand speed, and he's got hand speed," Hook said. "He's a big, strong kid as well. To find a guy who can pitch 200 innings at the big league level, you've got to be a sturdy guy. And he's got that build to be a sturdy, 200-inning type of pitcher.

 

"He's got all the tools to pitch in the big leagues. He's just got to learn how to pitch a little bit."

 

Baseball-intellect.com predicts Scarpetta will make the majors in 2012. Scarpetta, whose father, Dan, was a third-round choice of the Brewers, is just focused on learning and advancing.

 

"I just want to get higher as soon as possible," he said.

 

http://www.rrstar.com/archive/x1175998752/g1a91909a781fdef362a433a90776fb2d76b08f5262b393.jpg

[RyDogg66]

A pitching coach with the last name Hook. How perfect is that.

 

Old Crusty Manager: "He's getting killed out there"

Old Crusty Bench Coach: "Yeah he is, should we get someone up in the bullpen"

Manager: "Yeah, and send the Hook out to get him"

[battlekow]

Chris Dennis was in Wednesday's Minor League Update from Kevin Goldstein at BP:

A 13th-round pick in 2007 out of Canada, Dennis is compactly built power hitter than comes with the rawness generally associated with those north of the border who simply don't get as much experience as repetition as those from warmer weather climates. He missed the first six weeks of the year recovering from a nasty ankle sprain, but has been generating a lot of interest since showing up in the Midwest League, batting .407/.471/.763 in 17 games. With 16 strikeouts in 59 at-bats, a batting average like that is totally unsustainable, but scouts think the power, with includes four home runs and now nine doubles, is pretty darn real.

Finally, an answer for why he didn't make the T-Rats roster out of spring training.

[TheCrew07]

I hope the video in the other thread did him justice, both his single and double on Tuesday night were absolutely smoked, he lived up to my expectations and the some. Good to know that it was an injury that kept him down early.

[Mass Haas]

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Press Release:

FIVE TO REPRESENT WISCONSIN AT 2009 MIDWEST LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI - After four seasons away, the Milwaukee Brewers have returned to the Midwest League All-Star Game in strength. Five players from the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Class A affiliate of the Brewers, have been voted onto the Western Division All-Star Squad for the game being held at Alliant Energy Field in Clinton, Iowa on June 23. Catcher Corey Kemp and infielder Brett Lawrie have been picked as reserves. Pitchers Jim Henderson, Daniel Meadows, and Wily Peralta were also selected by the managers of the Western Division to be on the team.

 

Brett Lawrie, the #1 pick of the Brewers in the 2008 draft, is the reserve second baseman for the Western Division. He leads the Timber Rattlers in RBI with 37 and is second on the team in home runs with seven. Lawrie, who is playing his first professional season, entered 2009 as the # 3 prospect in the Milwaukee organization.

 

Corey Kemp was the 14th round pick of the Brewers in 2008 out of East Carolina University and has been selected as the reserve catcher for the West. He is the team's leading hitter - among those who have been with Wisconsin season and who would qualify in the league batting title race. Kemp is hitting .304 and is just outside the top ten hitters in the league.

 

Jim Henderson was signed as a minor league free agent before the Timber Rattlers season. He is 12-for-12 in save opportunities this season and is third in the Midwest League in that category. Henderson is the only closer in the Western Division with more than ten saves this year. He has a good chance to break the single season mark for saves by a Timber Rattler. The mark of 19 saves was set in 1995 by John Thompson.

 

Daniel Meadows, a 49th round pick of Milwaukee in 2008 out of Temple (TX) Junior College, leads the Midwest League in wins with eight. Meadows is 3-0 in three starts and has a 5-1 record as a reliever. He has walked 12 and struck out 35 in 37-1/3 innings pitched this season. Meadows was also named Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for the week ending May 10.

 

Wily Peralta, a non-drafted free agent signed by Milwaukee in 2006, is just 0-1 in 11 games (six starts) this season, but being named to the All-Star Team is just the latest honor for the hard-throwing, right-handed prospect. Peralta, the #22 prospect in the Brewers minor league system, won the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week Award for the week ending, May 24. It was a game on May 24 at Beloit in which Peralta struck out 10 batters over six shutout innings that secured him that honor.

 

See this quintet of Timber Rattler All-Stars as they continue a homestand at Time Warner Cable Field now through June 13. Tickets remain, but some games have limited availability. Please contact the Timber Rattler ticket office for details on tickets by calling 1-800-WI-TIMBER or (920) 733-4152.

[battlekow]

Getting reality check

Brewers' top pick having ups, downs

By Anthony Witrado

Appleton - Just one year ago, Brett Lawrie had all the enthusiasm, exuberance and confidence that comes with being a first-round draft pick of a major-league baseball team.

When the Milwaukee Brewers took the then-catcher out of Canada with the 16th overall pick in last year's first-year player draft, Lawrie spoke like a teenager who knew he was destined to be behind the plate at the big-league level.

Now, exactly a year later, the catcher isn't a catcher anymore and that confidence has been replaced by humility. Lawrie's self-assurance has been sapped somewhat by the grind that is professional baseball.

"It's tiring," Lawrie admitted before a game with Class A Wisconsin last week. "But it's those days that you don't feel like playing and feel tired that you say you're here so you might as well play.

"You have those days that aren't that good. You have to know there's always the next day, and the day after that and the day after that. I just keep telling myself I have to keep battling."

If Lawrie sounds like a young man beaten down, that's not entirely true. Not even a minor slump or a broken nose that hasn't been surgically repaired yet could do that.

His confidence is not gone, not even close. And he continues to impress his manager, Jeff Isom, with his talent, athleticism, sponge-like attitude and maturity.

Lawrie has just hit that first-year wall that newbies inevitably smack into. A long high school season is maybe 30 games, and after almost non-stop baseball for nearly a year, Lawrie is dragging a bit at the 50-plus-game mark of his first full professional season. Entering Saturday, he was hitting .261 with a .477 slugging percentage. He has eight home runs, four triples and 39 runs batted in.

"He started on fire, but if you look at his numbers, his batting average has dropped a little bit," Isom said. "It's a situation where the league is catching up with him. They've seen him once and not only that, it's a situation where it's 50 games into the season and he's realizing what it takes to get through a full season.

"It's not a 20-game season. We're on a long haul and you're going to go through ups and downs. This is one of his times when he's in a little bit of a down."

The first major professional change for Lawrie came last fall after instructional league. He was trained as a catcher daily, but upon completion, he hated squatting behind the plate and taking a beating.

So he asked for a position change to second base.

"Catching just wasn't a position I could see myself playing everyday," Lawrie said. "Especially after instructional league, it just kind of turned me away from it.

"Instructional league was probably the toughest month of my life. Taking balls off my hands, neck, just coming to the park sore everyday."

Lawrie was gung-ho about catching when drafted, but the decision to leave it behind was easy after instructional ball. And the Brewers were all for taking more advantage of Lawrie's speed and athleticism.

He had played the infield and outfield before, so it wasn't a total transformation. But it took some learning.

Isom had seen Lawrie as a catcher during instructional league, but when he arrived for spring training, he was told Lawrie would likely be his second baseman. After the first couple of days watching his newly appointed middle infielder, Isom thought "this could be a rough season."

But Lawrie took to the tutelage of the organization's roving infield instructor, Garth Iorg, and soon began to make the routine play actually look routine. Then he started to make the spectacular play once in a while.

The only real bump in the road might have been caused by a bump in the dirt. Lawrie took a bad hop off his nose two weeks ago and broke it. Surgery likely will take place this week. Lawrie still shows some bruising around his eyes but missed only a couple games after Isom insisted.

Isom credits Lawrie's natural gifts and ability to learn as the reason he's become a solid defensive player.

"He's very athletic," Isom said. "And he's coachable. You tell him something and he picks it up. You tell him once and he can execute it."

That is also the praise Lawrie drew after his time with Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic. Lawrie didn't get an at-bat, but his time with big-league players let him soak up knowledge, mainly about preparation and how to be a professional.

He still keeps in contact with teammates - Joey Votto, the Cincinnati Reds slugger, and Los Angeles Dodgers all-star catcher Russell Martin - through text messages. Lawrie said it's nice to have a sounding board to learn how to deal with slumps or the grind.

No one expects his current skid to last. Not with his offensive talent. It is a matter of adjusting to the pitching the way it has adjusted to him, Isom said.

What might be more impressive is Lawrie's adaptability.

When Brewers general manager Doug Melvin and assistant GM Gord Ash asked Isom what position he sees Lawrie playing in the majors, Isom told the brass "where is your biggest need?"

When asked about that, Lawrie's confidence comes rushing back like a flash flood.

"That's the kind of athlete I am," said Lawrie, whose sister Danielle was named national college softball player of the year at Washington. "It doesn't matter if it's third, short, second, first, left, center. It doesn't matter. If they need a spot, I know I can play it.

"If they need me, sure, I'll go play it. It doesn't matter to me as long as I keep moving up."

http://media.journalinteractive.com/images/lawrie.jpg

The switch to second base hasn't been easy for Brett Lawrie, who was the Brewers' top pick in 2008.

(Patrick Ferron)

[Mass Haas]

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By Cory Jennerjohn

Post-Crescent staff writer

 

GRAND CHUTE - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers second baseman Brett Lawrie and catcher Corey Kemp were named to the Midwest League Western Division all-star team on Friday afternoon.

 

They both proved why later that evening.

 

Lawrie belted a two-run home run to right in the first, just to the left of the Miller High Life Home Run Porch, while Kemp laced a double that hugged the right field line in the fourth as the Timber Rattlers beat Cedar Rapids 5-2 at Fox Cities Stadium.

 

"It's great," said Kemp after hitting his 12th double of the season. "You know the only thing that stinks about it is it's a midseason all-star not a postseason, so we still have another half to go."

 

In addition to Lawrie and Kemp, the Timber Rattlers also had pitchers Jim Henderson, Daniel Meadows and Wily Peralta selected to the midsummer classic set for June 23 at Alliant Energy Field, home of the Clinton LumberKings.

 

For Henderson, getting selected couldn't have come soon enough.

 

"This is my sixth full season. I haven't been an all-star yet," said the Rattlers reliever who is 12-for-12 in save opportunities and owns a 1.47 ERA. "So, I've been waiting around more than most guys to be an all-star, so I'm happy."

 

But Henderson will be coveting what his teammates will be enjoying when he's gone.

 

"I'm not getting those three days off," he said with a laugh.

 

Kemp is another guy who's fortunate to be representing the Timber Rattlers, mainly because he wasn't even on the team's opening day roster, after getting activated from the disabled list on April 16.

 

"It's a credit to him and his work ethic," said manager Jeff Isom. "All the work that he's put in during the season and he continues to get better daily."

 

That's exactly what Meadows has done, as the lefty owns an 8-1 mark with a 3.62 ERA in 14 games. He's 3-0 as a starter and was named Midwest League pitcher of the week on May 11.

 

Peralta's record may only be 0-1, but there's another reason why he's off to Iowa at the end of the month. The righty owns an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio of 49-14 and his 4.15 ERA is deceiving considering he allowed seven earned runs on May 9 to South Bend and six to Cedar Rapids on June 4.

 

"Peralta, well-deserving. He's been throwing the ball well," Isom said.

 

Lawrie is playing like a first-round draft choice, with eight home runs, which is tied for seventh in the league, is fourth in RBI (39) and is tied for 10th with four triples.

 

He just wishes he didn't have to travel.

 

"Obviously, it's going to be a fun time. I don't know if Clinton is the best place to have it," Lawrie said.

 

With the Timber Rattlers trudging through a pair of four-game losing streaks and the season-high six game skid at the beginning of the season, getting individual accomplishment is a little tough to swallow for a team that's four games under .500.

 

"We try to make it a team game as much as we can in a sport that's built around individual goals and moving up in the system as an individual," said Kemp, who owns a .304 batting average. "It's kind of bittersweet, you know. You wish all your team could go, but the way it is, it's an individual kind of thing."

[Mass Haas]

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Meadows, Henderson pitch in for Timber Rattlers

By Brett Christopherson

Post-Crescent staff writer

 

GRAND CHUTE - Daniel Meadows took a few extra seconds to ponder the question.

 

And then the left-hander grinned and offered what he felt was the perfect answer.

 

"I'm a pitcher, how about that?" he said when asked of the role he fills as part of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' staff. "Wherever they throw me out there, I'll be ready. Starter, reliever, middle reliever - anything. Wherever they put me, I'm going to go out there and try to help my team win."

 

Which is what Meadows did - again - on Sunday, scattering three hits, whiffing five and surrendering one earned run over a five-inning start as he pitched the Rattlers to a 2-1 Midwest League victory over Beloit in the opener of a doubleheader at Fox Cities Stadium.

 

The win was Meadows' league-leading ninth of the season, a total that trails only Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay for the most in professional baseball. Halladay, the 2003 American League Cy Young Award winner, improved to 10-1 on Sunday.

 

Not bad for a player who was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 49th round of last June's draft.

 

"I wouldn't say (this is) coming out of nowhere," said Meadows, who has made four starts in 15 appearances, has just one loss and has a 3.40 ERA in 42 1/3 innings. "I showed what I can do last year, and I'm showing what I can do this year. It feels good. I just have to go out there and perform. I'm trying to keep my team in games and help us win."

 

The 21-year-old spent last season at the rookie level, appearing in a combined 15 games with Arizona and Helena (Mont.) and producing a 2-3 mark with 42 strikeouts and a 4.53 ERA.

 

This year, Meadows finds himself atop a staff that includes some of the more promising young arms in the Brewers' system. He has 40 strikeouts and a solid walks-plus-hits-per-inning-pitched ratio of 1.16.

 

According to Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook, Meadows' success is linked with his ability to command his fastball - though he struggled at times against Beloit with five walks - while adding what he called "an average major league changeup."

 

"And when you start mixing in fastball command with an average major league changeup, good things are going to happen," Hook said. "He doesn't throw extra hard, but he throws the ball where he wants to. He came in (to spring training), and we really didn't know what we had.

 

"But the one thing we did see in spring training was a guy with some 'pitchability.' He seemed to have a feel for getting out of jams. … I'm real pleased with what he has been able to do. He has opened some eyes up for sure."

 

So has closer Jim Henderson, a right-hander who pitched a scoreless seventh for his 14th save in 14 tries and inch him closer of tying the single-season club record of 19 saves set in 1995 by John Thompson.

 

The 26-year-old signed a minor league deal with the Brewers this spring and is trying to bounce back from the shoulder surgery he underwent nearly a year ago.

 

Henderson, who lowered his ERA to 1.33 and has 18 strikeouts and only eight walks in 20 1/3 innings, pitched as high as the Triple-A level the past two seasons in the Chicago Cubs system. He was originally plucked by the Montreal Expos in the 26th round of the 2003 draft and is in his seventh professional season.

 

"I'm just trying to help these younger guys get their wins in the back end of the bullpen and get my work in," said Henderson, who joins Meadows as part of a group of five players selected to represent the Rattlers in this month's Midwest League All-Star Game. "I just came off of surgery, so I'm trying to get my strength back and get back out there and contribute to the team.

 

"I'm trying to look at it as a rehab and get stronger again. And hopefully get back to the higher levels."

 

Hook said having Henderson in the bullpen has proven to be an invaluable addition to the staff because of the approach he brings and the wisdom he can impart.

 

"He's an ultimate professional," he said. "He goes about his job and does everything like he would in a Triple-A type of situation. And he's a strike thrower. Those guys see an aggressive guy with a good sinker, and he knows if he goes after people, he's going to get people out."

 

Meadows noted Henderson's influence to his own success.

 

"Just learning how to manage a game when you're out there," Meadows said. "Not putting everything into each inning. I try to sit next to him (in the bullpen) and learn. In this game, you've got to keep learning from guys who have been up to the Double-A, Triple-A levels and have had a shot at the big leagues.

 

"You can't help but listen and learn from those guys."

[Mass Haas]

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Brett Christopherson column: Wisconsin's Braun OK with comparison to Brewers' Braun

Appleton Post-Crescent

 

The reminder could be seen on the cover of those Milwaukee Brewers 2009 media guides floating around Fox Cities Stadium, a triumphant Ryan Braun raising his right arm and howling in celebration of the playoff-clinching dinger he launched last season.

 

And there he was, the immensely popular Brewers slugger, one of Major League Baseball's brightest young stars, among the National League's leading all-star vote-getters, splashed across that color photo hanging near the office of Wisconsin Timber Rattlers skipper Jeff Isom.

 

Heck, it's all over the newest Rattler - a spitting image if there ever was one.

 

So, kid, what's life like always having BRAUN stitched onto your jersey nameplate? And is it a blessing or a curse to be the younger brother of such a famous big league celeb?

 

"I treat it as a blessing more than a curse," Steve Braun said as he grabbed a breather from a pregame workout prior to Wisconsin's 7-5 Midwest League setback to Beloit on Monday.

 

"Obviously, there are times when you put more pressure on yourself regardless. But I just try to make the most of it and take advantage of it. I ask for advice. I ask for help. And I try to make the most of what I'm given."

 

But nothing has been given to this Braun, despite big brother's emergence as perhaps the face of the Brewers' rising franchise.

 

Steve, a 24-year-old middle infielder added to the Rattlers' roster on Monday, had been busting his hump under the scorching Arizona heat, taking his hacks in the cage like every other dreamer and shagging an endless stream of ground balls to fill those long and grueling days of extended spring training.

 

He signed with the Crew as an undrafted free agent last July and then struggled at rookie ball, hitting just .175 with one homer and six RBI in 25 games at Helena (Mont.).

 

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Ryan - the fifth overall selection of that celebrated 2005 draft class - has been living in a fantasy world. As his brother scuffled at Helena, he was in the midst of an MVP-type season, hitting .285 with 37 bombs and 106 RBI in leading the Brewers to their first playoff appearance since 1982.

 

And that followed a brilliant 2007 in which he hit .324, stroked 34 homers and drove in 97 runs on his way to National League Rookie of the Year honors.

 

So again, isn't it a bit imposing to be a Braun, especially with all of the inevitable comparisons that come in collecting a paycheck from that organization?

 

"Not at all," said Steve, who described himself as a gap-to-gap hitter, a guy who's more of a table-setter than a run-producer. "I'm very proud of what he's done. Anything where I can get attention from him, I have more respect towards him and what he's done and it makes me work harder. I've seen what he's done, and I've seen the way he's gone about his business to get where he's gotten.

 

"So I just try to work harder everyday so hopefully we can be on the same team one day."

 

For now, Steve just wants to stick with his current team. He was summoned from extended spring training to fill a roster spot vacated by second baseman Brett Lawrie, placed on the disabled list on Monday after undergoing nose surgery.

 

Lawrie, the Brewers' top draft choice from a year ago, is expected to be sidelined for only seven-to-10 days, which means Steve could soon find himself on a flight back to Arizona and gearing up for another season of rookie ball.

 

If so, fine. But since he has been given a shot to advance his game a level, he plans on hanging around for as long as he can.

 

"That's obviously what I intend to do," said Steve, who was taken by Oakland in the 35th round of the 2005 draft out of junior college but instead chose to further his collegiate career at the University of Maryland, where he graduated last May.

 

"Now, will it happen? I'm not sure. But I'm going to do everything I can to make it tough on them."

 

Added Isom: "We'll see how much paying time he gets. It's an emergency backup plan for us, just in case something happens to the regular guys we have on our roster. We've got to make sure we get our prospects their playing time, and we'll see how much playing time we can get Braun."

 

Indeed we will. But in the meantime, Steve will look to control the things he can control - like his mental and physical preparation - while letting this trip to Wisconsin, the state his brother is beginning to own, play out.

 

He'll continue to chat with Ryan on a daily basis and pick his brother's brain about anything and everything baseball.

 

And he'll swallow every last drop of advice.

 

"He knows what I can do," said Steve, who didn't see the field in Monday's loss. "And I know what I can do. It's just a matter of proving myself. Now, I have the opportunity. I'm just going to try to make the most of it. Just have fun and make the most of my opportunity. (He said), 'If you don't start, be ready to play. If you start, just have fun and play hard.' "

 

And don't forget to stay real, too.

 

"There's definitely some added pressure, but I try not to look at it that way," he said. "I just try to be my own player and know we're different players. I'm not going to go out there and do what he does, but not many people will.

 

"So I'm just going to try to stay within myself and play hard. And that's all I can do."

 

Steve Braun, brother of Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, coaches first base for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Monday. Post-Crescent photo by Patrick Ferron.

 

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20090609&Category=APC021102&ArtNo=906090580&Ref=AR&Profile=1019&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

[Invader3K]

Can definitely see the resemblance in that photo there. Nice article, thanks for the posts and updates.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Rattlers catcher McCraw shines on defense

By Cory Jennerjohn

Post-Crescent staff writer

 

GRAND CHUTE - The speakers blare the confident movie line after every failed steal attempt.

 

"Go ahead, make my day."

 

Timber Rattlers catcher Sean McCraw cut down three potential thieves as Wisconsin beat Beloit 3-1 in a Midwest League game at Fox Cities Stadium on Tuesday night.

 

"That's where it starts, right there behind the plate," said Steven Braun, who was on the receiving end of all three McCraw throws in his Rattlers debut at second base. "He just did a good job all night of controlling the running game."

 

Snappers first baseman Jon Waltenbury only had one stolen base all season, making the first throw out at second, in the second inning, a relative breeze. The 23-year-old McCraw was tested, however, the next inning when Beloit's stolen base leader, shortstop James Beresford, was cut down trying for his ninth stolen base of the season.

 

"Anytime you throw out the team leader, that's a great accomplishment," McCraw said when he was informed that Beresford led the Snappers in steals. "The biggest accomplishment is throwing out the league leader."

 

His final throw was another no-doubter as McCraw nailed Juan Richardson trying to steal second in the fifth.

 

McCraw raised his season total of runners caught stealing to 18 and lifted his thrown-out percentage to .333.

 

"You can't do it alone," said the 2005 eighth-round draft choice of the New York Mets. "You got to have a quick move from your pitcher and a good time to the plate to even have a shot."

 

When he wasn't sending runners back to the dugout, he was preventing runners from advancing. In the fourth, Braun made a poor throw to first baseman Corey Kemp that bounced away and McCraw quickly gobbled it up in the grass right in front of the Snappers dugout.

 

"Catchers will get lazy and say, 'Well, he'll make the play here,' " said Wisconsin manager Jeff Isom. "Then they're not in the right position. But he gets in the right position every time and he's always backing up bases. He's a hustle-type guy that takes pride in his defense."

 

Right now, he has to, because, after going zero-for-three, his .223 batting average is just 38 points away from reaching his listed 185-pound weight.

 

"If you're not going to hit, you better find a way to stay in the lineup," Isom said.

 

And McCraw also has to range from being an easy listening psychologist to a hard-working drill sergeant to keep the pitching staff motivated.

 

"He tries to get the buttons pushed on these guys," Isom said. "That's what a veteran-type catcher will do. He has to have an understanding of what makes these guys tick."

 

Just the fact that he's willing to do the stuff that doesn't get noticed is what has made McCraw close to a promotion.

 

"If he could hit, he could play at the higher levels," Isom said. "There's no question about that, because of his defense. He could be a guy that could catch in the big leagues right now if he could get his offense going."

[Mass Haas]

More from Steve Braun

[GB12]

Can definitely see the resemblance in that photo there. Nice article, thanks for the posts and updates.

 

I was looking for something to watch before the Brewer game today and came across the Timber Rattlers game on Time Warner Sports 32 (or whatever it is). Steve struck out and walked back to the dugout the exact same way Ryan does. Put a Brewers jersey on him and I wouldn't have known it wasn't Ryan. Unfortunately their similarities end after looks.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Brewers: Lawrie appears to be next in line

By DENNIS PUNZEL

The Capital Times

 

APPLETON - Dominating the wall of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' office are two framed jerseys worn by the franchise's most celebrated alumni, Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz.

 

Someday, team president Rob Zerjav would like to have to find a spot for another jersey on that wall: The No. 13 worn this season by Brett Lawrie.

 

To be sure, Lawrie, the Milwaukee Brewers' No. 1 draft pick a year ago, has miles to go before he comes close to achieving the status of an A-Rod or a Big Papi. But no one who has watched Lawrie's debut season would put anything past him.

 

"We'd love to have his jersey up there with those guys," said Zerjav, whose team is in its first season as the Brewers' Class A Midwest League affiliate. "We've had a ton of big players come through here. But it's just going to be a little more special and mean a little more to the fans in this area when a Brett Lawrie No. 13 jersey is hanging here and they're able to go down to Miller Park to watch him play."

 

Lawrie, a native of Langley, British Columbia, is the marquee attraction for the Timber Rattlers, who have seen a 60 percent increase in attendance through the first two months of the season.

 

The numbers so far are solid. Lawrie is hitting .264 and ranks in the top 10 in the league in home runs (8) and RBIs (39). He's done this at age 19, the youngest player on the Rattlers' roster and among the 10 youngest players in the league. And he's done it while learning a new position - second base.

 

"He's done a very good job," manager Jeff Isom said. "It's been an adjustment for him, being away from home and just out of high school. But he's very mature, his athleticism is unbelievable, he's got a mind for baseball and he's an advanced bat."

 

Searching for a position

 

It was Lawrie's prodigious hitting with the Canadian Junior National team last spring that inspired the Brewers to make him the 16th pick in last year's draft. They talked about a five-home run doubleheader performance in the Dominican Republic and a hitting display against major league pitchers in extended spring training in Florida.

 

Defensively, Plan A was to make Lawrie a catcher, a position he had played sparingly. After a month in instructional ball, Plan B went into effect and he was moved to second base.

 

"I figured that out for myself," said Lawrie, who originally was enthusiastic about catching. "That month of catching in instructional league was tough for me. I hadn't caught that much day after day. Blocking balls and getting beat up every day just wasn't my plan of attack. It wasn't that fun for me. Being back there day after day, it didn't seem like it was a position I could really see myself playing.''

 

After getting a glimpse of Lawrie at second early in spring training, Isom wasn't so sure that was his position either. But after some tutoring from minor league infield instructor Garth Iorg, things started looking up.

 

"It was rough the first three or four days," Isom said. "But after Garth Iorg worked with him on proper mechanics and fundamentals, he really came on. He's turned into a pretty good second baseman.''

 

With incumbent second baseman Rickie Weeks just a couple of years away from potential free agency, the path to Milwaukee could be wide open for Lawrie. But if Weeks should stay with the Brewers, it shouldn't hold Lawrie back.

 

"(Assistant general manager) Gord Ash has come up here numerous times and the question has been raised: Where do you see this guy playing in the big leagues?" Isom said. "My answer is, 'Where do you need him to play in the big leagues?' I tell them if you give him a year at a position he could do it. You need him to play center field, he could do that. If it's a corner outfield, he's got a good enough arm and he's got the bat to play there. He could even play shortstop … maybe not as well as J.J. Hardy or (Alcides) Escobar, but he could play there. And he could easily play third base. He's just a great athlete."

 

Said Lawrie: "I'm open to any position because I know I can play.''

 

It's that kind of attitude that has led many in the organization to compare Lawrie with another first-round pick, Ryan Braun - big-time hitters with big-time confidence.

 

Lawrie's reputation for self-confidence - some might call it cockiness - preceded him to Appleton.

 

"He's got that kind of swagger, like Braun," Zerjav said. "I'm very impressed with Brett and his attitude. He's been a great teammate, a very positive influence in the clubhouse. His work ethic is tremendous. He definitely has the desire and drive to be a major league ballplayer."

 

Plenty to learn

 

Lawrie got an up-close look at some big leaguers this spring as a member of the Canadian team in the World Baseball Classic. Among his teammates were major leaguers Justin Morneau, Russell Martin, Joey Votto, Jason Bay, Matt Stairs and Mark Teahen.

 

Although his only action in the WBC was as a pinch-runner, Lawrie said the experience was beneficial, even better than playing for Canada in the Beijing Olympics.

 

"The WBC is probably where I gained the most," he said. "We had almost all big-league guys in our starting lineup, so you just look at the talent and know that's your ultimate goal, to do what they're doing."

 

The WBC also gave Lawrie an opportunity to meet up with Braun, who played for the U.S. team.

 

"We bumped into each other at the World Baseball Classic banquet in Toronto," Lawrie said. "We were playing each other the next day so we were messing around about who was going to win. He's an awesome player and that's why he's a star."

 

Lawrie understands he still has a ways to go before he joins Braun in the Brewers' lineup. If not exactly humbled, he's had his eyes opened by the demands of the daily grind of baseball.

 

"The biggest challenge is just playing every day," said Lawrie, who is on the seven-day disabled list after undergoing surgery to repair a broken nose he suffered thanks to a bad hop grounder. "I've never been in a situation where I had to play every day, so just coming out to the park every day and trying to channel your energy is something I've had to learn to deal with. I have trouble dealing with failure, just like everyone does. I'm learning that you have to forget pretty quickly.

 

"I'm just focused on trying to hit the ball right now. Obviously, I know there's struggles and I'm just trying to hit my way out of one now.

 

That's baseball and everyone goes through it. I get frustrated, but you can't dwell on it. You just have to know there's always tomorrow."

 

Isom sees that process as part of Lawrie's education as a ballplayer and one that will help him when he does get to Milwaukee.

 

"He's realizing that it's not as easy as maybe he thought it was going to be," Isom said. "But he's grinding it out and doing a good job.''

 

Lawrie, who got to play a game in Miller Park in April when the Timber Rattlers played the Chicago Cubs' Class A Peoria team, originally set a two-year timeline to arrive in Milwaukee on a permanent basis. That still sounds about right to him, although he knows it depends on his own performance.

 

"Obviously, I know I can do it," Lawrie said. "I'm just trying to impress the people that need to be impressed. In baseball there's no timetable. You can set one, and I've set goals for myself. But you just have to keep playing. My goal is the same as it's always been, to get there as fast as I can."

 

Brett Lawrie, the Brewers' first-round pick in 2008, recently broke his nose but his hitting .264 with eight homers and 39 RBIs with the Class A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

 

http://cdntn.madison.com/images/articles/wsj/2009/06/13/111433.jpg

[CheezWizHed]

What do people think Corey Kemps ultimate position will be? I saw him once this year and was really impressed with his bat (only 1-4, but everything jumped off his bat). But I see that he splits his time between C, DH and 1B...

Is that an indication that they don't think he can stick at catcher? Or is that more of the low A-ball way of getting more people the change to catch? Granted his 10% CS rate isn't anything to write home about...

[TheCrew07]

He's brutally slow and he's nothing special behind the plate at this point in the time, I'm not sure exactly where he fits it. If he were taller I'd be intrigued by him as a 1B.

[battlekow]

Low A team riding high with Brewers

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers see attendance boost with new pact

Cash Kruth

APPLETON, Wis. -- Rob Zerjav had high expectations for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' first season as a Brewers affiliate.

Even so, when Zerjav, who is in his seventh season as the president of the Brewers' new low Class A club, started fielding ticket requests for Opening Day, he was surprised at the number of people he had to turn away.

"We sold out Opening Day for the first time ever," Zerjav said. "The biggest attendance was when [Fox Cities Stadium] opened in 1995, and that was about 3,700. We were at 5,500 this year, which is capacity. Literally, we could have sold probably 8,000 tickets that game."

Although the April 9 opener was the first official game for the Timber Rattlers as a Brewers affiliate, the excitement of a potential relationship between the Appleton/Fox Cities community and Milwaukee started well before Opening Day.

In fact, nearly a year and a half before the affiliation became official on Oct. 1, 2008, the possibility was brought to Zerjav's attention. A local newspaper reporter wrote that the Timber Rattlers' 16-year affiliation with the Mariners and the Brewers' contract with the West Virginia Power (Charleston, W.Va.) both ended in 2008.

Once the word got out in the community that a Timber Rattlers/Brewers relationship was a possibility, Zerjav started hearing from fans. Due to Minor League rules, he couldn't talk to any other club while under contract with Seattle. But as the contract drew to an end, he started asking fans what they thought of a potential relationship with the state's only Major League team.

The more people he talked to, the easier the decision became.

"I really encouraged fans to give me their opinion and I took it all in," said Zerjav, who noted that numerous fans had shown up to games wearing Brewers gear in years past. "I don't want to say it made the decision really easy, but my job is to sell tickets and your fans are saying they want the Brewers -- and it wasn't just a majority, it was everybody. It was literally every single person I talked to told me I needed to do this."

Fans have stuck to their word, and the Timber Rattlers are having one of their best attendance years ever. The average attendance per game is up by more than 1,000 fans through the same point last year. Through 24 games this season, an average of 3,259 fans passed through the Fox Cities Stadium turnstiles, compared to an average of 2,001 in 2008.

On June 12, the Timber Rattlers broke the 100,000 attendance mark in the first half of the Midwest League season for the first time in their history.

Angie Ceranski, the Timber Rattlers' vice president of marketing, said the new affiliation came at the perfect time.

"The Brewers were coming off that awesome season last year and the economy as it is right now, and we are very, very fortunate to have this happen now," Ceranski said. "We are staying very steady where we're at financially and with the response from the community."

The front offices of the two teams also have worked together with co-promotions, which have benefited both teams, as well as fans.

There is an ongoing co-branded ticket package where fans can get a Brewers ticket, a Timber Rattlers ticket and a T-shirt for $15. There is a certain block of games for each team that fans can choose from, and Zerjav said those ticket sales have far exceeded expectations.

On Sundays, the Timber Rattlers wear Brewers-themed jerseys with the Timber Rattlers logo and Brewers colors, and members of the game-day staff also wear shirts with the Brewers logo on it.

The Timber Rattlers also played a game at Miller Park earlier this season with nearly 18,000 fans in attendance.

"It was great exposure for us, a great revenue generator for the both of us, a great experience for the players and a great opportunity for fans in Milwaukee to see the young guys," Zerjav said. "It was just a real win, win, win for everybody."

The boost in the attendance numbers and fan support in the community also has affected the players. Corey Kemp, who played for the Brewers' Rookie-level affiliate in Helena, Mont., last season, said fans make a huge difference during the grinding baseball season.

"Sometimes the later the season goes, you kind of drag to the field ... and it wears on you when you get about 50 games in and you come to the ballpark and there are maybe 800 fans there and you see empty seats," Kemp said. "When you come here, you might wake up and be a little tired, but you come and see 5,000 people and that extra adrenaline helps."

The players are also noticed when they go out in the community.

"We walked into Wal-Mart the other day and the greeter was like, 'Hey guys!' She couldn't remember our names but she knew we were Timber Rattlers and it was interesting to walk in there and get noticed," outfielder Erik Miller said. "I actually saw her the other day here when I was in an autograph booth and she walked up and was like, "Hi! Do you remember me from Wal-Mart?' It was pretty cool."

Nine months into a four-year player development deal, both parties are happy with the results thus far.

"I think we would like to have a better record on the field there, but other than that, it has been a very successful relationship," Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash said. "We have been able to use Appleton as a sort of springboard for some of our players out of [extended spring training], and the facility, of course, is top-notch."

Both Ceranski and Zerjav said they hope 2009 is just the beginning of a long affiliation.

"In talking with the Brewers -- you can sign a two-year or a four-year deal -- and when we sat down [in September] we decided on the four-year deal," Zerjav said. "But when both parties look at this, we look at this as a long-term relationship. With the way things are going so far, I'd say [continuing the relationship is] a no-brainer."

 

http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/images/2009/06/18/rgmUevPC.jpg

Nearly 18,000 fans came to Miller Park to see the Timber Rattlers in April.

(Wisconsin Timber Rattlers)

[trwi7]

That picture is extremely close to where my seats were. A section to the right in the sixth row was where I was.

[logan82]

Maybe I missed it somewhere, but what happened to Brett Lawrie. He played on the 15th and nothing since.