Link Report for Thurs. 7/23 -- Rattlers on TV for Locals

[Mike]

Drew Anderson should be in AAA again, but the Brewers need left field with the Sounds for Adam Heether...

 

Mass,

 

Could you please elaborate on this statement? I do not quite understand your point regarding the left field need for the Brewers?

[colbyjack]

Did anybody stick with the TV long enough to see 22-year-old LHP Brandon Ritchie? How does he carry those 240 pounds? A little Eveland-ish? Fantastic numbers, and again tonight...

 

I definitely did. He didn't look Eveland-ish to me at all, who always looked a little on the dumpy side. Ritchie has a pretty big upper body with a barrel chest, but is well proportioned throughout. I would call him big-boned (complimentary) with a football-type build and not chubby whatsoever.

 

He's got a pretty good FB/CB combo from a low, deception 3/4 delivery. He throws strikes, and was inducing a lot of early, weak swings, from both LH and RH hitters. Since his numbers have been so good all year long, it would be nice for him to get a bump up to BC.

[Mass Haas]

Much more on the Rattlers' game in this Brett Christopherson blog post

Huge crowd...

[Mass Haas]

Drew Anderson should be in AAA again, but the Brewers need left field with the Sounds for Adam Heether...

 

Mass,

 

Could you please expound on this statement? I do not quite understand your point regarding the left field need for the Brewers?

Yeah, that Braun guy is OK.

 

What I didn't make clear is that Drew Anderson's age, experience, and performance would normally have him in left or right field at AAA. But with Mat Gamel, Alcides Escobar, and Hernan Iribarren all at possible Adam Heether spots, Heether is manning left field and getting the playing time (and subsequent versatiity challenge) he deserves.

[Mike]

That's what I get for not paying attention that Adam was in LF. Ryan who? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif

 

Thanks

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 7, Great Falls (White Sox) 5

Full report from the Helena media in the AM, but thanks to Steve Wendt, an enjoyable evening online for this listener -- fascinating game...

 

Helena Box Score

A game of odd extremes -- Brewer batters struck out 15 times; Brewer baserunners were 8-of-9 on the basepaths, including Cutter Dykstra with three steals and Edgar Trejo with two -- Josh Prince stole one and was picked off (again) once; RHP Damon Krestalude allowed only two runs in 5.2 innings, yet allowed 12 baserunners; 33 baserunners in the game via hit or walk, plus the teams combined for four errors, just one by the H-Crew; nice work by RHP Joel Morales in middle relief, and RH closer Michael Fiers K'd the side in order in the 9th for the save; one more extreme -- 99 degrees at game time, what is this, Maryvale?

 

Helena Game Log

[Mass Haas]

From Wednesday:

 

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Chat with Third Baseman Mat Gamel

Includes discussion about his defense while with Milwaukee, which was pretty good...

 

From Thursday:

 

Nashville Pre-Game Chat with Pitcher Tim Dillard

No mention of his possible Tuesday start in Milwaukee, but good stuff nonetheless...

[pogokat]

Jim---you bolded Stephen Chapman like he was with Huntsville...of course, he's probably relishing the opportunity to beat up on the team he would have been playing with if the Brewers hadn't released him...

[tratfan]

Was it just me, or did Fredrickson get some bad breaks. I know he wasnt at his best, but in the second inning with one out and a runner on first, he had a double play ball that bounced off of second base that allowed the runner to move to third. Also a bloop hit that lawrie couldnt get to. And in the first, a close play at the plate that kemp couldnt hang on to. Again, not his best but luck certainly wasnt on his side. Peralta got out of a couple jams and impressed me in stressful situations. I was joking with my buddy while at the game that this timberrattler team reminds me of the brewers in that they can get guys on base but cant get the key hit when they are on, especially with runners in scoring position.

[Mass Haas]

We're always thanking the broadcasters -- how about Jason Scott, who has done a real nice job in the Helena newsaper this year for us?

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

Brewers fend off Voyagers

By JASON SCOTT - Helena Independent Record

 

Michael Fiers found himself in what has become a familiar situation Thursday night. He was on the mound in the bottom of the ninth with an opportunity to get another save, as the Brewers were ahead 7-5.

 

Fiers did what he does best, striking out the side to seal up the third consecutive Helena victory, this time over the Great Falls Voyagers at Kindrick Legion Field. So what is it like to get the call for a save opportunity?

 

"It feels great," he said. "It's good to know that your coaches and teammates rely on you for those last three outs. My goal is to throw strikes, work in and out, get guys to swing early and when you get two outs try to strike them out."

 

Fiers came in at the end of a thrilling game. Over 1,200 fans braved the heat and humidity to see the Brewers in the first of two home games against the Voyagers. They weren't disappointed, as the two teams racked up 25 total hits, along with 22 strikeouts, 15 of them Helena's, the three most exciting belonging to Fiers.

 

"Fiers did nice; he always does," Brewers manager Rene Gonzales said. "That's his role for us. He doesn't throw extremely hard, but he's tough to pick up because his arm comes late. He's all over the strike zone and he's down. He's rarely up. It's what works for him."

 

The Brewers got ahead first, thanks to four straight singles in the third inning that netted them two runs. They added three more to the total in the sixth when Great Falls committed two errors and allowed a big double from Edgar Trejo.

 

Brewers starting pitcher Damon Krestalude pitched well, (surviving despite) allowing nine hits over 5 2/3 innings, including a fifth-inning home run to Jose Vargas. Joel Morales got the win for Helena after pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

 

Great Falls starter Matt Wickswat didn't factor in to the decision despite going five strong innings, scattering eight hits and striking out 10 while allowing two earned runs.

 

"It's a win," Gonzales said. "We had a lot of strikeouts tonight. We had a lot of key at-bats, too."

 

The Brewers defense was solid all night, suffering one error but benefiting from two timely double plays in the fifth and sixth innings.

 

The win keeps Helena in first place in the Pioneer League North division, one game ahead of the 15-13 Missoula Osprey.

 

The Brewers, who moved to 16-12 on the year, take on the Voyagers (14-14) again tonight at Kindrick before heading to Great Falls to finish the four-game series.

 

"We just need to do the same thing," Fiers said of his team's recent success. "Every day we come out and work hard, and we just need to keep getting better."

[Rudy]

I noticed that Bobby Bramhall struck out 6 in his 2 innings of relief last night.

[GoMocs]

I know I've brought this up before, but I think it might be time to give Schafer another chance in Huntsville. He was sent back to BC to cut down on strikeouts and increase walk totals and he's done just that.

Actually, my understanding is that Schafer was only sent up to Huntsville for a few days due to the illness of Drew Anderson's mother. Drew was on the Temporarily Unable to Play list or something like that. Soon as he came off that Schafer went back down.

[GoMocs]

Got a chance to talk to Zach Braddock during the game last night, he was sitting behind me doing some video taping. He said he feels fine and will start throwing again any day now.

 

With respect to Adam Heether posts above...Adam has looked good at third during his stays in Huntsville, but earlier this year he was in town for a short period and they played him several times at SS...scarey is a good word to describe his play there.

[captkirk16]

I have no idea what the Manatee's field looks like, however, the write up says his HR went over the batting cages. How far is that.

[GoMocs]

http://minors.mlbcontrol.net/milb-images//2009/03/02/OnqQ9yS4.jpg

 

 

http://minors.mlbcontrol.net/milb-images//2009/03/02/XvZOL6Ls.jpg

 

 

http://minors.mlbcontrol.net/milb-images//2009/03/02/HmycL9Wo.jpg

 

 

 

Above photos of Space Coast Stadium. Batting cages are not apparent. I have been to one game there, in the early 90s, so have no memory of the layout.

[DHonks]

GoMocs,

thanks for all the insight. You caused my heart to beat a bit slower with the news of Braddock's arm feeling okay

[LouisEly]

I know I've brought this up before, but I think it might be time to give Schafer another chance in Huntsville. He was sent back to BC to cut down on strikeouts and increase walk totals and he's done just that.

I was just going to point out that in his last 10 games Schafer has hit .357 with 2 HRs, 3 BB, and only one K. I know people want to see him walk more, but to strike out only once in 45 plate appearances is pretty amazing. So far on the season he has 27 BB to 40 K which is a pretty good ratio. He was brought up only to cover for DA when he was out; he wasn't sent back down to BC for plate discipline - he walked 4 times and K'd only 3 times in 27 PA's in AA. Over 500 plate appearances that would be 74 walks on a season - not bad at all.

 

Nice long relief outing by Axford. It will take a while to get the ERA down from that one awful outing, but other than that he has pitched well in AAA. To see him go 3 innings and give up only 2 hits and no walks is very encouraging.

[wibadgers23]

I could have swore somebody said that Schafer was only sent back down to BC to work on his plate discipline. I must be mistaken though. Either way, I think he's ready to be tested in AA.

[GoMocs]

I have no idea what the Manatee's field looks like, however, the write up says his HR went over the batting cages. How far is that.

 

Per Buck Rogers, current Huntsville GM and former Manatees GM, the batting cages are in the building in the lower left hand corner of the below photo

 

http://minors.mlbcontrol.net/milb-images//2009/03/02/XvZOL6Ls.jpg

[GoMocs]

I could have swore somebody said that Schafer was only sent back down to BC to work on his plate discipline. I must be mistaken though. Either way, I think he's ready to be tested in AA.

 

Logan only played in 7 games for Huntsville, had 3 Ks in I think 23 ABs. As I said, it conicided with Drew Anderson leaving the team for awhile due to his mother's cancer, which she has subsequently died from.