Link Report for Wed. 6/17 -- Lunch with Parra in Nashville and Butler in Birmingham

[DHonks]

With Manny Parra...he hadn't thrown many pitches in the last month, so the Brewers probably felt he could handle it. I like that he says he wants to return to being a power pitcher. Just let the ball fly!

[tyguy20204]

Everything X touches turns to gold.

Have you forgotten about all the Brent Brewer hyperbole?

[TheCrew07]

Re:Parra

 

I don't want to go back and debate this anymore on the MLB forum, but I hope he's going to make good and just get back to throwing the ball. I hadn't seen a mid 90s fastball out of him all season, but I did see some 87-88 MPH. Just let it all hang out and get after people, he strikes me as the type of player that puts way too much thought into everything he does as opposed to players who don't really think at all. There's a happy middle ground there... (I suddenly have the Happy Place scene from Happy Gilmore in my head). It's good that he knows the pitcher he was and the pitcher that he should be, it's time to start blowing people away again.

 

LHP that throw in the mid 90s are way too rare a commodity to just arbitrarily give up on, I sincerely hope he finds himself.

[Never Outhustled]

Everything X touches turns to gold.

tyguy20204 wrote:

Have you forgotten about all the Brent Brewer hyperbole?

Yeah, Brent has made me look silly so far, but he does have an 866 OPS over his last 10. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Obviously I'm esctatic that Butler continues to sharpen his control of his power stuff. We've heard Bruce Sied say in a few interviews that there scouts don't just look for polished pitchers, but also look for guys that could really improve if a few mechanical tweaks are made. Butlers real problem in his career was he didn't get to Milwaukee soon enough. The Brewers had him targeted in round 2 of the 2006 draft, but Tampa of course always picked earlier. The Brewers didn't forget him, and went and got him in trade. He went backwards a little last year, but thats normal after changing someones delivery. Whats funny is Tampa is known as a team thats good at developing pitchers, yet it was the Brewers who got Butler squared away.

 

What makes me even more excited is if the Brewers can develop Butler, it makes it easier to believe they can do the same with the possibly even more powerful Kyle Heckathorn. Sied has already stated in an interview Mass Haas linked to in the draft forum that they have a few mechanical tweaks planned for Heckathorn that should allow him to remain a starter.

 

[statfan]

Just tuned in to Rattlers game - no Lawrie again tonight. Anyone know why?

[TheCrew07]

Rogers with a tough outing, Brewer continues to hit this month, he started very slow last year as well, he's going to need to get past that at some point.

 

Kemp with 2B scoring Sanchez for WI, Kemp just keeps hitting.

[tyguy20204]

What makes me even more excited is if the Brewers can develop Butler, it makes it easier to believe they can do the same with the possibly even more powerful Kyle Heckathorn. Sied has already stated in an interview Mass Haas linked to in the draft forum that they have a few mechanical tweaks planned for Heckathorn that should allow him to remain a starter.

Yeah, it is very encouraging that they seem to be having some success, especially after the Mark Rogers saga kind of left a sour taste in the mouth (not that we ever got the full story on that one).

[DHonks]

Rogers' outing not all that rough. got 1.2 innings without problems. Then a walk (not sure if it's a 4 or 12 pitch walk), single, single and he's out of the game. What hurt was the reliever came in and got the inning-ending grounder only to see Brewer make an error.

[TheCrew07]

The BC game just got real ugly, 7-0 going to the top of the 5th.

 

Nieves has a nice outing going so far, WI still tied 1-1 in the 5th.

[TheCrew07]

A huge 4 run 7th pushes WI in front, every hitter 1-6 in the lineup has a single RBI, hard to be more balanced than that. Dennis with 2B trying to get back over 1.000 OPS.

 

Wisconsin Top 7th

* Steven Braun reaches on fielding error by shortstop Juan Rivera.

* Sean McCraw out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Manauris Baez to first baseman David Wood. Steven Braun to 2nd.

* Juan Sanchez walks.

* Michael Marseco singles on a ground ball to center fielder Jarrod Dyson. Steven Braun scores. Juan Sanchez to 3rd on the throw. Michael Marseco to 2nd.

* Manauris Baez intentionally walks Corey Kemp.

* Pitcher Change: Barry Bowden replaces Manauris Baez.

* John Delaney hit by pitch. Juan Sanchez scores. Michael Marseco to 3rd. Corey Kemp to 2nd.

* Chris Dennis singles on a ground ball to left fielder Nick Van Stratten. Michael Marseco scores. Corey Kemp to 3rd. John Delaney to 2nd.

* Brock Kjeldgaard out on a sacrifice fly to center fielder Jarrod Dyson. Corey Kemp scores. John Delaney to 3rd.

* Jose Duran grounds out, third baseman Chase Fontaine to first baseman David Wood.

[TheCrew07]

... and then they give it all back plus 1.

 

Burlington Bottom 7th

* Fernando Garcia called out on strikes.

* Jarrod Dyson strikes out swinging.

* Nick Van Stratten reaches on fielding error by first baseman Corey Kemp.

* Eric Hosmer walks. Nick Van Stratten to 2nd.

* Nicholas Francis singles on a line drive to right fielder Chris Dennis. Nick Van Stratten scores. Eric Hosmer to 3rd.

* David Wood singles on a line drive to right fielder Chris Dennis. Eric Hosmer scores. Nicholas Francis to 3rd.

* Sean McCauley singles on a line drive to right fielder Chris Dennis. Nicholas Francis scores. David Wood to 3rd.

* Pitcher Change: Brandon Ritchie replaces Cody Scarpetta.

* Chase Fontaine doubles (3) on a fly ball to left fielder Brock Kjeldgaard. David Wood scores. Sean McCauley scores.

* Juan Rivera called out on strikes.

[TheCrew07]

BC loses, despite his 2 hits Brewer has a throwing error pushing his total to 15 already.

[BrewCrewWS2008]

Has any player upped his stock more this year than Butler? I hated dealing Gross last year because I liked him as a player, but I am liking the deal more each start from Butler this year

 

I'd say Chris Cody, didn't think much of him coming ito this season but wow he has impressed me!

[Mass Haas]

Final: Jupiter (Marlins) 8, Brevard County 3

Brevard County Box Score

21-year-old catcher Brett Whiteside mopped up, he pitched a scoreless ninth to extend his scoreless streak to four innings on the year with only two hits allowed -- thanks to the 'Tees Tyler Stover for the stat info; catcher Martin Maldonado (again) picks a runner off second base...

 

Brevard County Game Log

Caleb Gindl grounded out in the top of the 8th, was replaced defensively in the bottom of the inning -- hopefully OK, perhaps a victim of the 87 degree heat and humidity...

[Mass Haas]

Final: Burlington (Royals) 8, Wisconsin 6

 

Wisconsin Site Game Summary

 

That one stings

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

BURLINGTON, IA - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers grabbed a 6-3 lead with four runs in the top of the seventh inning at Community Field on Wednesday night. However, the Burlington Bees took advantage of a two-out error and scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh to rally and beat the Rattlers 8-6. Chase Fontaine had three hits, including the two-run double that put the Bees ahead to stay in the seventh. The Rattlers missed out on a chance to reach the .500 mark for the first time since April 25 because of this loss.

 

Juan Sanchez was hit by a pitch on the first pitch of the game. Michael Marseco moved Sanchez along to second with a sacrifice bunt. Then, Corey Kemp doubled to drive home Sanchez with the first run of the game. That just started the see-saw affair.

 

Burlington (28-38) tied the game in the bottom of the second. A two-out RBI single by Fernando Garcia knocked in the tying run.

 

Wisconsin (32-34) went back up by one in the top of the fifth. Sanchez stepped to the plate with runners at first and third with one out and lined a single back through the center of the diamond to drive in the go-ahead run.

 

The Bees rallied to tie the game again in the bottom of the fifth inning. Nick Van Stratten singled home the tying run with one out.

 

Cody Scarpetta relieved Wisconsin starting pitcher Efrain Nieves to start the bottom of the sixth inning. He allowed a two-out RBI single by Chase Fontaine that put the Bees up 3-2. That lead did not hold.

 

Steve Braun reached on an error to start the top of the seventh. A sacrifice bunt by Sean McCraw moved Braun over to scoring position. Then, Sanchez drew a walk. Marseco was next and he singled to center to send Braun home with the tying run. Another walk loaded the bases and sent Bees reliever Manauris Baez to the showers.

 

John Delaney faced Barry Bowden and fell behind in the count 1-2. But, the all-star reliever for Burlington hit Delaney with a pitch to force in the go-ahead run. Chris Dennis singled in the next run and Brock Kjeldgaard's sacrifice fly put the Rattlers up 6-3. But, that lead would not hold.

 

Scarpetta struck out the first two batters of the bottom of the seventh inning. Then, an error on a dropped throw at first for what would have been the final out of the frame extended the inning. Scarpetta walked the next batter and it was off to the races after that. Nick Francis, David Wood, and Sean McCauley had consecutive RBI singles to tie the game 6-6 and knock Scarpetta out of the game.

 

Brandon Ritchie replaced Scarpetta and gave up a two-run double to Fontaine and Burlington led 8-6.

 

Bowden walked the first two Timber Rattler hitters in the top of the eighth, but he retired the last six batters he faced and preserved the Burlington win.

 

The Timber Rattlers begin a four game series in Kane County against the Western Division leading Cougars on Thursday night. Trey Watten (2-6, 4.01) is the scheduled starter for the Timber Rattlers. Kane County sends Kenny Smalley (6-2, 1.94) to the mound. Game time is 6:30 PM.

 

Wisconsin Box Score

Encouraging five innings from Efrain Nieves; teams combined to go 12-for-29 with RISP; not having the Rattlers at home means no press on Brett Lawrie's absence -- not sure if Chris Mehring mentioned it during the broadcast...

 

Wisconsin Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: DSL Mets 8, DSL Brewers / Orioles 6

DSL Brewers / Orioles Box Score

No Brewer pitchers; catcher Jhonatan Javier hitting .320 after 50 AB's, reached four times here as the DH (double, walk two HBP's); SS Andres Martinez 1-for-5, four K's; LF Luis Chirinos 1-for-3 with a walk and RBI -- the 16-year-old is hitting .282 after 39 AB's...

 

DSL Brewers / Orioles Game Log

[LouisEly]

Someone want to add up the total number of unearned runs given up by our organization today?

[trwi7]

Someone want to add up the total number of unearned runs given up by our organization today?

 

16.