Link Report for Games of Saturday, May 30th

[Never Outhustled]

Josh Butler gives up a 2 R HR in the 5th, snapping a 19 inning scoreless streak. The HR was the 1st he's allowed all year. He still ends up with a quality start in his AAA debut, with 6 IP, 3 hits, no BB, and 4 K.

 

Its awesome when a guy with power stuff finally harnesses it command wise so he can just let his talent show. I'm sure this is what the Brewers had pictured when they were hoping to select him in round 2 of the 2006 draft, before Tampa rudely selected him in front of us.

[Mass Haas]

Thanks for all the notes and discussion above, guys -- can't wait to post all the recaps and media reports -- here we go!

[Mass Haas]

Final, Game One: Nashville 6, Omaha (Royals) 2

Final, Game Two: Omaha 2, Nashville 1

Nashville Site Doubleheader Summary:

Link for Brendan Katin photo, text follows --

 

Sounds Split Doubleheader With Royals

NASHVILLE- The Nashville Sounds split a doubleheader with the division-rival Omaha Royals on Saturday evening at historic Greer Stadium, taking the first game 6-2 before dropping the nightcap at 2-1.

 

After trailing 2-0 early to Omaha, the Sounds scored six unanswered to win the first contest, fueled by Brendan Katin's two home run performance.

 

Mario Lisson' two-run triple put the Royals on the board in the second inning 2-0 of the first game, but Katin's seventh home run over the scoreboard trimmed Omaha's lead to 2-1 in the next frame.

 

Adam Heether tied the game at 2 with a solo shot to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning, his fourth homer of the year and third in the last three games. Alcides Escobar gave the Sounds their first lead at 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI-double down the left field line, scoring Chris Duffy.

 

Katin added another run to the Sounds lead with his second bomb of the game off the neck of the scoreboard, the first Copley Guitar Shot of the season. Jason Bourgeois then doubled in two more runs in the inning for a 6-3 Sounds lead.

 

Sounds starter Matt Ginter (2-1) earned the win, throwing five innings and allowing two runs on three hits, striking out two.

 

Omaha starter Matt Wright (0-2) took the loss, pitching four and 2/3 innings, surrendering three runs on four hits.

 

Chris Narveson pitched his fifth save of the season, throwing two scoreless innings after relieving Ginter.

 

Nashville Game One Box Score

RHP Matt Ginter threw 87 pitches in a nice spot start; Jason Bourgeois on base all three plate appearances; nice to see Angel Salome back behind the plate; raw power is tough to find anywhere these days, and Brendan Katin is flush with it -- in his last ten games alone, nine of his 12 hits are for extra bases, including six home runs...

 

Nashville Game One Game Log

 

Nashville got out to a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning of the second contest on a Dusty Hughes wild pitch, allowing Hernan Iribarren to score from third base. After that, the Royals shut down Nashville, allowing one hit over the final three innings.

 

Omaha took the go-ahead 2-1 lead in the next frame on a two-run home run to right field by Scott Thorman.

 

Yasuhiko Yabuta (2-1) picked up the win, throwing two scoreless innings for Omaha. Greg Atencio got the save, his second of the season.

 

Making his first career Triple-A start, Nashville's Joshua Butler (0-1) earned a tough loss, surrendering two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and no walks. R.J. Swindle added a scoreless inning to relieve Butler, lowering his team-leading ERA to 0.46.

 

Erick Almonte extended his season-high hitting streak to seven games on the night, going a 2-for-4 with two walks in both games.

 

The Sounds and Royals will play the final game of a four-game series tomorrow afternoon at 2:00. Right-hander Tim Dillard (6-2, 3.48) takes the mound to face Omaha's southpaw Heath Phillips (2-4, 6.70).

 

Nashville Game Two Box Score

That's a pretty debut line for AAA, Josh Butler -- Gabe Gross says hello; eight pitches for R.J. Swindle to retire the side, including two K's; it's possible Carlos Corporan had never caught Josh Butler -- nice job guiding the 24-year-old by Carlos, only a year older; as noted above, a full evening back at shortstop for Alcides Escobar...

 

Nashville Game Two Game Log

Hernan Iribarren struck out with one out and a man on third base in the 4th -- that would have been a huge run; Butler retired all six men he faced after the HBP / HR in the 5th, fantastic job...

[Mass Haas]

Franklin, Tennessee resident Kraig McNutt maintains a blog on the Sounds, and has a photo of Josh Butler (caption is a bit off, but nice picture) that Josh's family will want to see.

[TooLiveBrew]

Oh that caption has to be an 'Oof!' moment for McNutt... has his name right in the post title. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Is Butler someone that Brewers fans should expect to see come September? I will follow that question up with the acknowledgment that it's probably hard to pin down an answer for it...

[DHonks]

Butler is like Narron and countless others...guys whose numbers are adequate, yet seem to never get promotions. Another was Wahpepah...good numbers, but took til this year for a serious AA look

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 10, Tennessee (Cubs) 7

 

Huntsville Site Game Summary

 

Huntsville Heads Home to Face Barons

Stars Make It Seven Straight Over Smokies

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

 

Drew Anderson drove in three more runs and the bullpen worked five-plus innings of scoreless relief to lead Huntsville to a wild 10-7 win over Tennessee Saturday night in the last of an eight-game set at Smokies Park. The Stars won the last seven games to improve to 28-20 and remain three and a half games in front of Carolina in the North Division, while the Smokies slumped to 21-29. Huntsville has won seven straight on the road for the first time this season to raise their record to 18-9 away from home.

 

The Stars started the scoring with four runs in the first inning, all with two outs, on a two-run triple by Anderson and run-scoring hits by Freddy Parejo and Taylor Green. The Smokies cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning on a two-out, two-run double by Marquez Smith and took the lead with three runs in the second on run-producing hits by Brandon Guyer and Ty Wright and a sacrifice fly off the bat of pitcher Casey Lambert.

 

Wellington Castillo's solo home run in the third inning gave the Smokies a 6-4 lead before Stars' starter David Welch was lifted with two runners on and one out in the fourth and replaced by Nick Bucci, making his double-A debut. The 18-year-old right-hander, who had pitched in rookie ball last season, got two fly ball outs to end the fourth and tossed a scoreless fifth inning. Welch was charged with six runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out two.

 

Lambert was chased from the game after giving up three straight hits to open the fifth and replaced by Todd Blackford, who uncorked a wild pitch on his first offering that scored Jonathan Lucroy to cut the lead to 6-5. Parejo's run-scoring groundout got the game tied at six and gave him his first game with multiple runs batted in on the season. Blackford then walked three hitters in a row, on 13 pitches, with one out in the sixth and was taken out of the game and followed by Jayson Ruhlman, who could have gotten out of the inning on a Vinny Rottino ground ball to shortstop that was instead misplayed by Darwin Barney, who could not get an out. Adam Stern scored on the play to make it 7-6 Stars before Anderson chased home Shane Justis with another ground ball out to push the lead to 8-6 Huntsville. Anderson drove in nine runs in the series and leads the team with 28.

 

Donovan Hand, who threw a scoreless sixth inning, gave up a two-out, run-scoring hit to Castillo in the home seventh that cut the lead to one but the Stars answered with two runs in the eighth against Alex Maestri on a run-scoring double by Lucroy and Green's second run-scoring hit of the game. Hand then blanked the Smokies in the eighth inning and turned the ball over to Omar Aguilar, who threw a scoreless ninth inning and ended the series by getting Jonathan Mota to ground into a game-ending double play. Bucci earned his first professional win, while Hand finished eight innings in the series without allowing an earned run and Aguilar nailed down his sixth save of the season and third of the series.

 

The Stars open a five-game series against Birmingham Sunday afternoon with southpaw Chris Cody taking the hill for Huntsville against Barons' right-hander Lucas Harrell. Coverage of the game begins at 12:45 PM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

Brett sure has a way with his game summaries -- fantastic recap of a wild affair; how about Nick Bucci -- as we learned this week, one of eight young pitchers in Maryvale to have his name placed in a hat for the opportunity to be an emergency pitcher for the eight-game series, he strands two inherited one-out runners, and retires five of six batters (one HBP); a double steal in the 4th didn't phase Bucci; it appeared as though David Welch had righted the ship, but an ugly start here; it'll be interesting to see if Donovan Hand returns to full-time middle relief work, where's he's shined; Omar Aguilar has to be feeling good about his recent work; 7-of-16 with RISP for the Stars; the Stars have stuck with Jonathan Lucroy in either the 3- or 4-hole all season -- faith rewarded here...

 

Huntsville Game Log

Stars score four in the first after the first two men were retired; back-to-back triples for Drew Anderson and Freddy Parejo in the 1st -- when do you remember seeing that? 7-of-8 from the Cubs' AA affiliate on the road? Yee-hah!

[Mass Haas]

Final: Fort Myers (Twins) 7, Brevard County 1

Game Summary from the Miracle's Site:

 

Bromberg fans season-high 12 as Miracle tranquilize Manatees

 

VIERA -- David Bromberg struck out a season-high 12 batters in six innings as he moved to 5-0, and the Miracle defeated Florida State League North leader Brevard County 7-1 at Space Coast Stadium on Saturday evening.

 

Half of the strikeouts recorded by the Southern California native were looking as he mixed a devastating curve with low-90s fastballs all night long. At one point, Bromberg struck out six straight, and he fanned the side in the second and fifth innings. All three punchouts in the fifth were called, prompting Manatees centerfielder Logan Schafer's ejection for arguing balls and strikes, followed immediately thereafter by manager Mike Guerrero.

 

Kyle Waldrop worked three scoreless innings for the save, scattering four hits and striking out two. Bromberg's final line was six innings, six hits, one run (earned), one walk, and twelve strikeouts. He lowered his season ERA from 2.00 to 1.94.

 

Former Brewers first-round pick Mark Rogers worked the first and second, right in line with his season average of two innings per start. He struck out three and gave up one hit. The loss went to lefty Lucas Luetge (2-3) who gave up eight hits, five earned runs, and four walks in four innings while striking out four.

 

Deibinson Romero, who had recorded just one hit in his last ten games, broke out with a 2-for-5 game for Fort Myers (31-16), including two doubles. One was a two-RBI knock in a three-run fourth inning. Chris Cates, hitting second in the order for the second straight game, went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Other multi-hit days for the Miracle came from Rene Leveret (2-for-5, run, two RBI) and Mark Dolenc (3-for-4, run, double).

 

Schafer was 2-for-3 for the Manatees (29-13) before his ejection. Steffan Wilson and Chris Errecart were each 2-for-4.

 

Brevard County Box Score

Brevard County Game Log

At one point between the 1st and 3rd innings, nine straight batters (both teams) struck out...

 

Do you think Caleb Gindl has an arm in right field? The throw to third base must have been impressive...

 

Fort Myers Top 1st

• Ben Revere singles on a line drive to right fielder Caleb Gindl.
• Chris Cates flies into double play, right fielder Caleb Gindl to first baseman Chris Errecart. Ben Revere doubled off 1st.

Fort Myers Top 5th

• Mark Dolenc singles on a line drive to left fielder Lee Haydel.
• With Ben Revere batting, Mark Dolenc steals (9) 2nd base.
• Ben Revere flies into double play, right fielder Caleb Gindl to third baseman Steffan Wilson. Mark Dolenc out at 3rd on the throw.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Wisconsin 4, West Michigan (Tigers) 3

Wisconsin Site Game Summary

 

O, Canada! Lawrie's homer leads to Rattler win

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Brett Lawrie hit a two-out, three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning to erase a 3-1 deficit. Then, Liam Ohlmann tossed three scoreless innings of relief and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers beat the West Michigan Whitecaps 4-3 on Saturday night at Fifth Third Ballpark. Daniel Meadows picked up the win to run his record to 8-0.

 

Wisconsin (23-26) scored in the top of the first inning. Juan Sanchez singled and wound up at third base after a two-base error. Corey Kemp's two-out infield single sent Sanchez home for a 1-0 lead. That was the only run Wisconsin would get off Whitecap starting pitcher Luke Putkonen. The right-hander pitched six innings and struck out six.

 

Wisconsin's lead was gone two batters into the bottom of the first inning. Gustavo Nunez tripled to star the West Michigan half of the first inning. An RBI grounder by Brent Wyatt sent Nunez home to tie the game 1-1.

 

The Whitecaps (31-17) grabbed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Ben Guez doubled with one out and scored on a single by Jordan Lennerton.

 

West Michigan tacked on a run in the bottom of the sixth on an error charged to Lawrie. But, Lawrie would make up for the fielding miscue with his bat in the top of the seventh.

 

Whitecap reliever Victor Larez took over for Putkonen for the seventh inning and allowed a walk and a single that had runners at first and second for Lawrie with two outs. The Canadian slugger hit a high, towering fly ball to left that carried out of the park for a three-run homer and a 4-3 Wisconsin lead.

 

Ohlmann took over for Meadows in the bottom of the seventh and walked the leadoff batter. A sacrifice bunt and a bunt single put runners at first and third with one out. But, Ohlmann escaped with a fly ball to shallow left and a grounder to short.

 

Ohlmann then pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to close out the Whitecaps for his first professional save.

 

The Timber Rattlers end their 12-game road trip on Sunday afternoon with the series finale against the Whitecaps. Michael Bowman (2-1, 2.63) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Wisconsin. West Michigan will counter with Mauricio Robles (4-2, 3.24). Game time is 1:00 PM CDT.

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Lefty Daniel Meadows keeps chugging along, and two of Liam Ohlmann's last three appearances have been scoreless three-inning outings; Chris Dennis struck out twice, but walked twice -- get used to that, but that's OK...

 

Wisconsin Game Log

Sean McCraw with a key throw-out on a Whitecap SB attempt in the 4th...

[jjfanec]

Butler is like Narron and countless others...guys whose numbers are adequate, yet seem to never get promotions. Another was Wahpepah...good numbers, but took til this year for a serious AA look

I actually thought Butler was the opposite of those guys. Narron, Wahpepah, ect are guys that seem to pitch above their ability and have a limited ceiling. Butler has never seemed to live up expectations or pitch as well as his stuff indicates he should until this season. His K numbers are still lower than one would like but he is light years ahead of last year right now.

[Never Outhustled]

I'm not sure how well Butler's secondary numbers will translate,

Your the second person to say this, and it confuses me because they project well, here are his FSL totals:

 

BB per 9 - 4.1 - tollerable

Average against - 235 - good

Groundout/flyout -1.67 - very good

HR allowed - 0 - absolutly awesome

 

That just leaves K/9, a stat that seems to get ignored when when people have ripped Mark Rogers or Jeremy Jeffres in the past, but suddenly becomes overrated when it comes to Butler. Butler is not a strikeout pitcher, but he's not a softtossing sinker baller either. He has a true power sinker.

 

Butler's K/9 is just 5.6, but lets compare that to the top prospect in the FSL last year, Rick Porcello. His K/9 last year was just 5.2, and he's now having success in the Majors, and still not striking people out. Just like Butler, Porcello is 6'5", and just like Butler he has 92-95 MPH heat he throws on a downward plane. If Porcello can have big success with that kind of stuff, why is it so unimaginable that Butler could have a fraction of that success with a hint of that stuff?

 

this is the same guy that looked atrocious all last season.

The Brewers organization likes to bring in power arms, simplify their delivery, and see if it harnesses their command. It worked with Turnbow until he lost his head, its working with McClung, and Butler looks like another example.

 

Butler is like Narron and countless others...guys whose numbers are adequate, yet seem to never get promotions.

When did Narron not get a deserved promotion? He only repeated levels after he posted ERAs over 4. That seems right to me. Also, Narron is nothing like Butler in the fact that Narron only throws 85.

[TheCrew07]

I'm primarily concerned with his BB and K rates, and the ratio between them, currently he appears to be Suppan as a best case, which doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy for his future as he doesn't have any margin for error. I'd feel a whole lot better about him if his BB rate was down under 3 and his K:BB was 2:1. He's not going to have sustained success walking as many batters as he has. He's gotten better as the year went on, and if all his lines were like his AAA debut I'd be right there with you.

[JJHardy7]

BB per 9 - 4.1 - tollerable

 

I guess I'm not that encouraged by this number. I haven't seen him pitch, but I'd expect that number to get worse as he advances. Guys at lower levels usually don't have as good of an idea of the strike zone and thus swing at more. X, do you think he's turned the corner this year? It'd be great to have a prospect arm at a higher level. I know I will be checking in on him more often and hopefully his controls can be solid the rest of the year. I'm assuming he'll be sent down now?

[Never Outhustled]

I'm primarily concerned with his BB and K rates, and the ratio between them, currently he appears to be Suppan as a best case, which doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy for his future as he doesn't have any margin for error.

Aren't you the one that says theres more to prospects than just numbers when refering to Escobar? Why would you compare a guy with power stuff to the 2nd slowest RHSP in baseball? It would be better to compare to big pitchers with power sinkers and low K totals like Dereck Lowe, Fausto Carmona, Mike Pelfrey, or Armando Galarraga.

 

To me, if Butler doesn't make it as a starter he could be a Mike Timlin, Todd Coffey type reliever that relies on a power sinker for groundouts, but reports of an effective change-up in Butlers AAA debut might help avoid that scenario.

[jdoz]

Katin has been on quite a tear lately.

 

Aguilar looks like he is back on track - 1.80 ERA, 8 H, 10 K, in his last 10 outings, only one walk in his last six appearances/innings.

 

Rapoza has been about as off-the-radar as one could be with what he's done this year, and even going back his last 40 innings or so.

 

Agreed, he has been on fire. Even added a rare BB last night to add the cherry on top of the 2 homer sundae.

[TheCrew07]

Suppan wasn't always the pitcher he is today...

 

Furthermore my friend, he's walking over 4 batters per 9 in A+... to me that's a huge a red flag. Like I said I'm encouraged by his start and it appears he's gotten better as his confidence grows, I'm just not ready to hop on the bandwagon. He throws in the low 90s with a power sinker... I get it, but he's only striking out one more batter than he's walking on average, and he's a contact pitcher.

 

If Escobar was 210 pounds and capable of hitting 25 HR this season it would be a more apt comparison as he'd be capable of hitting for power and just not doing it. Nothing draws my ire as much as pitchers with high BB rates, but generally I'll feel better about a guy with a high BB rate who also Ks a ton of hitters, Butler walks too many and strikes out too few for the number of walks he gives up. If he maintains his K rate and cuts his walks in half I'd go from interested in following him to intrigued by him. Again he's trending well, but after how bad he was last season I'm going to be cautiously optimistic about him. You may very well be 100% correct about him, I'm just not ready to jump into pool with you yet. People continually compare Escobar to Hardy instead of his peers... very few prospects stack up well any established MLB player, let alone an all-star, compare the prospect to his peers. If I compare Butler to his peers, he's the pitcher I personally like the 5th or 6th best on that entire staff at BC at this point in time.

 

Braddock

Rogers

Jeffress

Rivas

Then some combination of Anundsen/Wooten/Butler/Mercedes following... but if Anundsen threw as hard as Butler he'd be right up there with Braddock.

[Playing Catch]

Will Josh Butler return to the next Power 50, and how high? Does he not profile as a pretty legitimate prospect? I just have to think that someone that is still pretty young and having success at the upper levels of minor league baseball with projectable "stuff"(albeit with a lack of lights-out MILB stats, including some control issues), is a very good thing.

 

At the time we acquired him, our resident experts debuted him at number 14 on the Power 50 based heavily on Baseball America reports. I have to think that its fair to be excited about him. I'm not saying he projects as an ace or anything... I'm just saying that he could factor as a legitimate #4 in a decent teams rotation.

[trwi7]

Butler's K/9 is just 5.6, but lets compare that to the top prospect in the FSL last year, Rick Porcello. His K/9 last year was just 5.2, and he's now having success in the Majors, and still not striking people out.

Difference is Porcello was 19 years old and going through A+ for the first time, Butler was 23 and going through A+ for the second time. Porcello also had a better GB% (64.1% to 53.1%) and walked less (2.27 BB/9 to 4.01 BB/9.)

[Never Outhustled]

Difference is Porcello was 19 years old

Age might matter if we were considering their prospectum, but we're not. Ryan Howard didn't get to the Bigs at the same age as Prince Fielder, does that mean he's no good? We're instead comparing their pitching style. Some think you can only be a good prospect if you K alot, and Porcello blows holes in that theory. Butler has a very similar pitching style to Porcello.

Butler was 23 and going through A+ for the second time. Porcello also had a better GB% (64.1% to 53.1%) and walked less (2.27 BB/9 to 4.01 BB/9.)

Why are you using Butlers stats from last year? Butlers GB/FB ratio is the same this year as Porcello's last year. I fully acknowledge Butler has a higher walk rate, but Butler's walk totals have been trending in the right direction as the season has progressed.

 

Again, I'm not saying Butler is Porcello, I'm saying pitchers with power sinkers and low K rates like them, and guys like Fausto Carmona and Mike Pelfrey, can be successful.

[trwi7]

Age might matter if we were considering their prospectum, but we're not.

 

I think it does. Not only is nearly every hitter Butler faces younger than him, but nearly every hitter Porcello faced was older than him. Butler was also repeating A+.

 

Why are you using Butlers stats from last year? Butlers GB/FB ratio is the same this year as Porcello's last year.

 

Butler's GB% was from this year. He's walked more than Porcello did as well. Porcello had him beat in nearly every category. Age, GB%, walks etc.

[Never Outhustled]

I think it does. Not only is nearly every hitter Butler faces younger than him, but nearly every hitter Porcello faced was older than him. Butler was also repeating A+.

 

So pitchers can't get batters out with the same style if they're different ages? Thats just silly. The baseball doesn't know the age of the guy throwing it.

 

Porcello had him beat in nearly every category. Age, GB%, walks etc.

Well, except ERA, average against, K/9, HR allowed. Those are rather important categories. They've pitched similarly, ones is just unbelievably advanced for his age, the other has taken longer to harness his stuff.

 

What are you really trying to say here, that these 2 guys don't have similar styles? They don't get hitters out in a similar fashion? They're not both big, hardthrowing pitchers with power sinkers that pitch to contact? Really, whats your point?

[DHonks]

How does Tim Dillard compare with Porcello and Butler? Dillard cruised through the minors till struggling in AAA. Now back as a starter, he's holding his own, and he still only has his 90-93 mph sinker (was 93-96 as a reliever)

[battlekow]

Butler was 23 and going through A+ for the second time. Porcello also had a better GB% (64.1% to 53.1%) and walked less (2.27 BB/9 to 4.01 BB/9.)

Why are you using Butlers stats from last year?

He's not. Butler's GB% is 53.1 this year.

 

Butler's peripherals are really uninteresting, but the main problem I have with him is that even those peripherals have to be downgraded after accounting for the fact that this is his third (not second) extended look at the FSL, which is a pitching-friendly environment. 24-year-olds with any kind of big league stuff repeating a pitcher's league should be putting up much more impressive numbers than Butler. There's just way around that.

[Never Outhustled]

How does Tim Dillard compare with Porcello and Butler? Dillard cruised through the minors till struggling in AAA. Now back as a starter, he's holding his own, and he still only has his 90-93 mph sinker (was 93-96 as a reliever

Dillard doesn't throw as hard as you describe. He tops out at 94 with his 4 seamer as a reliever. His sinker is high 80s as a starter. Thats why his average against isn't that strong. He's just too hittable because of his lack of offspeed stuff.. I still like him as a reliever though.