Link Report for Thurs. 9/10 -- AA Debut A Hero's Welcome for Wilson

[Mass Haas]

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[Mass Haas]

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Playoffs provide new starting point for Stars

Lackluster second half of regular season over; Smokies now on deck

By Paul Gattis

Huntsville Times Sports Staff

 

Isn't the law of baseball averages on the side of the team that has lost nine straight? Isn't all the pressure on the opposition?

 

So, yes, the struggling Huntsville Stars are revved up for tonight's Southern League playoff opener against the Tennessee Smokies.

 

"The good thing with us now is we're 0-0," Stars outfielder Drew Anderson said. "To a certain degree, that almost makes us dangerous because we've lost nine in a row. Eventually, we've got to win one."

 

The Stars and the Smokies face off at 7 p.m. at Joe Davis Stadium to open the best-of-five series.

 

The Stars won the North Division first-half title with a 38-31 record. But in the second half, the Stars had the worst record in the Southern League (25-44).

 

At 63-75 for the season, the Stars are the only team in the playoffs with a losing overall record.

 

"Now that the season is over, the pressure is off a little bit more," second baseman Shane Justis said. "Toward the end of every season, guys want to finish well with their numbers, and guys worry about that a little bit and it affects your play.

 

"Now it's a clean slate - just go out and have fun like we did in the first half."

 

Of course, this isn't the same team that won the first-half title. Ace Chris Cody was promoted to Triple-A Nashville along with center fielder Adam Stern and top reliever Robert Hinton. Utility man Vinny Rottino was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

 

Of the five pitchers manager Bob Miscik has lined up for the series, only Game 3 starter Mark Holliman was in the rotation in the first half. Josh Butler (2-1, 2.85 ERA) will pitch tonight for the Stars while Nick Green (1-6, 4.30) goes Friday.

 

"What I'm most happy about is the way our pitchers have been throwing down the stretch," Miscik said. "We just haven't been scoring any runs."

 

In the nine-game skid, the Stars have scored just 16 runs.

 

But today may be the day the bats go nuclear.

 

"I've been on teams the last two years that were 30 and 35 games over .500 and we lost in the first round," Anderson said. "It doesn't really matter what your record is now."

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Menu:

Times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: Season complete

 

Huntsville: RHP Josh Butler at home vs. Tennessee (Cubs), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime; game one in a best-of-five series

Live Audio Link

Brevard County: Season complete

 

Wisconsin: Season complete

 

Helena: LHP Del Howell at home vs. Missoula (Diamondbacks), 7:50 PM pre-game; 8:05 gametime

Live Audio Link

 

Arizona Summer League: Season complete

 

Dominican Summer League Brewers / Orioles: Season complete

[Mass Haas]

Follow Thursday's action as it happens:

MiLB.com now has Gameday available for AA as well as AAA this season.

 

Huntsville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_09_10_tenaax_hunaax_1&did=t559&sid=t559

 

Helena:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2009_09_10_misrok_helrok_1&did=t433&sid=t433

[Mass Haas]

For those who can break free from the Huntsville audio for a few moments, Steve Wendt has a follow up Chris Capuano interview tonight. He talks about the progress with his arm as well as impending free agency. Not sure if the Crew will be able to grab that for us, so listen live if you can at 7:50 PM Central Thursday night.

[Mass Haas]

Jonathan Lucroy has already cut down two basestealers in the scoreless Huntsville game (4th inning, yay Josh Butler).

 

Lucroy is just a fantastic prospect.

[trwi7]

- Pleased with how his arm has felt. Positive experience in Helena.

 

- Got the tendon from his left wrist in 2002 and got the one from his right leg. Felt a big "pop" in the leg after about six weeks and never felt pain in it again.

 

- Feels like he had pretty good command in his first outing. Not as good in his second outing. Pleased with his command and no pain at all in the arm.

 

- Throwing fastball, changeup, slider. None have been bothering him.

 

- Wife came up. Hiked Mount Helena. Sort of a mini vacation for them. Loved it so far.

 

- Married gives him a sense of strength. She's supportive and knows what he's going through.

 

- Heading to the Fall Instructional League after the season.

 

- Hasn't started talking to his agent about free agency. Talk about options after the season. Brewers have treated him with nothing but class and he would be happy to come back. Would love to be in the position to get himself back out on the market in a couple years.

 

He'll be starting the season finale tomorrow.

[Mass Haas]

Taylor Green came to play both offensively and defensively at third base, but the Stars trail 2-1 at the 7th inning stretch. Josh Butler went seven innings.

 

Enjoying Brett's call, but traffic here is much lighter these days, as is often the case when the parent club spirals. We should visit the chat room during one of these playoff games, even if it's for just a few minor league diehards.

[bretsky07]

Steffan Wilson 3-run homer in the 8th! Stars now up 4-2!

[trwi7]

Steffan Wilson gives the Stars the lead in the 8th, 4-2!

[twobrewers]

- Got the tendon from his left wrist in 2002 and got the one from his right leg. Felt a big "pop" in the leg after about six weeks and never felt pain in it again.

How creepy is that? Gross.

 

Huntsville wins 4-2. Great showing by Butler.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 4, Tennessee (Cubs) 2 -- Stars lead best-of-five series, 1-0

Huntsville Site Game Summary

One Swing Sends Stars to Victory in Playoff Opener

Three Huntsville Hurlers Cool Off Red-Hot Smokies

By Brett Pollock / Huntsville Stars

 

Steffan Wilson's three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning carried Huntsville to a dramatic 4-2 come-from-behind win over Tennessee Thursday night in the opener of the best-of-five North Division Playoffs at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars, who had lost their last nine regular season games, moved out to a 1-0 series lead with game two set for Friday night in Huntsville.

 

Drew Anderson led off the decisive frame with a single, stayed put after the next two hitters were retired and advanced to second base when Lorenzo Cain was hit by a pitch. Marcos Mateo fell behind Wilson 2-0 before the Huntsville first baseman made his double-A debut a successful one by crushing a home run to left-center field to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead. Wilson had been promoted Wednesday night after high class-A Brevard County was eliminated from the Florida State League playoffs.

 

Casey Baron retired the first Smokies' hitter in the ninth inning and gave way to the right-hander Rob Wooten, who got two fly ball outs to end the game and sew up the win. Wooten recorded 11 saves in 12 chances in the regular season. Mateo took the loss after leaving two runners on to end the seventh inning.

 

The Stars broke up a scoreless game in the fourth inning when Taylor Green doubled with two outs and scored on a base hit by Cain. Tyler Colvin's lead off long ball in the fifth inning, just the third allowed by Stars' starter Josh Butler in 45 innings, evened the score at one. Starlin Castro followed with a single, moved to second base when Ty Wright was hit by a pitch and advanced, with Wright, on a sacrifice bunt by Robinson Chirinos, his first with Tennessee. Smokies' skipper Ryne Sandberg then elected to lift his starter Jeremy Papelbon and replace him with pinch-hitter Russ Canzler, who struck out on for the second out of the inning. Jonathan Mota followed with an infield hit to drive in Castro with the go-ahead run. Butler tossed seven innings, allowing six hits, walking two, hitting two and striking out five

 

Papelbon yielded three hits, walked one and fanned four in his four frames and was followed to the hill by David Cales, who threw two scoreless innings. Anderson led off the home sixth with a double but never advanced after two strikeouts and a ground out.

 

The series continues Friday night with right-hander Nick Green taking the hill against Smokies' right-hander Casey Coleman. Coverage of the game begins at 6:45 PM central time and can be heard through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

 

Huntsville Box Score

Brett hit on all the high points -- there's no day off in the series, so it's highly unlikely Josh Butler could be brought back for a game five; lefty Casey Baron's Maryvale rehab paid off -- Baron is definitely profiling to be a Mitch Stetter-type arrival by 2011 if not next year some time; most of the Stars hadn't seen Steffan Wilson at all since last March's spring training workouts, and some not at all until today -- the Harvard slugger with the blast! Freddy Parejo and his 26 walks in 634 AB's the last two seasons an odd choice for leadoff, but the Stars' current roster leaves little choice; that one Wilson home run eased every tension imaginable in that clubhouse, it's loosey-goosey time now...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 4, Missoula (Diamondbacks) 3

Nice home win in the next-to-last game of the season, details in the AM from the local media....

[Mass Haas]

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Halton delivers clutch hit for Helena

By CURT SYNNESS, Helena Independent Record

 

Now the Helena Brewers are playing for pride.

 

Eliminated from the Pioneer League's Northern Division playoff possibilities earlier in the week, the Brewers defeated the Missoula Osprey 4-3 Thursday at Kindrick Field.

 

After blowing a two-run, ninth inning lead in a loss to Great Falls the night before, Helena was a model of efficiency in their 12th victory of the second half.

 

The hosts were out-hit 8-7 by the Osprey, but made every base runner count, as they stranded only two men left on base all night.

 

Helena's crucial inning was the sixth, when with one down and leading 3-2, Chris Ellington laced a double to left field. Sean Halton then ripped another liner to left, driving home Ellington with what turned out to be the deciding run.

 

Halton was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double, but four runs were enough, thanks to the Brewers' pitching and defense.

 

Helena manager Rene Gonzales used five pitchers in the contest, with Del Howell starting. Howell went 3 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and one run.

 

Howell was relieved by, in order, Ryan Platt (1/3 inning, 0 hits), Adrian Rosario (3 1/3 innings, five hits, two runs), Matt Costello (1 1/3 inning, 0 hits) and Robert Currie (1/3 inning, 0 hits).

 

Platt earned the win, while Currie picked up the save.Eury De La Rosa took the loss.

 

Helena never trailed, leading 1-0 after two frames and 3-1 after four. The Brewers plated two runs in the fourth stanza, provided by three straight singles by Scott Krieger, Halton and Ellington, and an RBI groundout by Cutter Dykstra.

 

Ellington finished with a perfect 3-for-3 night at the plate, scoring twice, while Halton was 2-3, with a pair of runs batted in.

 

Halton upped his average to .353, which places him third in the Pioneer League batting race. Ellington's 17 doubles ranks tied for seventh in the league.

 

The Brewers committed just one error, compared to three for the visitors.

 

Ramon Castillo and Chris Owings had two base knocks each for the Osprey.

 

Helena is now 12-25 for the second half, with Missoula slipping to 18-19.

 

Friday night will be the season finale, as the Brew Crew hosts Missoula. Former Major League all-star Chris Capuano is scheduled to make his third rehab start for the Brewers.

 

Helena Box Score

Who is 13th round pick Sean Halton, you ask? Well, he's comfortable in Big Sky country. Here you go.

Helena Game Log

[Mass Haas]

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Stars not dim

Huntsville snaps 9-game skid with win in playoff opener vs. Smokies

By Paul Gattis

Huntsville Times Sports Staff

 

The music blasted throughout the Huntsville Stars clubhouse Thursday night, and the Stars celebrated even louder.

 

"It was probably the most exciting moment of the year other than us clinching (the first-half title)," left fielder Drew Anderson said.

 

Infielder Steffan Wilson - added to the roster just hours before game time - blasted a three-run homer in the eighth inning to deliver a 4-2 win in Game 1 of the Southern League semifinal playoffs.

 

The best-of-five series continues tonight, while Huntsville's nine-game losing streak entering the series became a memory.

 

"We went crazy," starting pitcher Josh Butler said of the reaction in the dugout to Wilson's homer. "It's the same as it is right now (in the clubhouse). It was a good experience."

 

But until Wilson's homer, it looked like one more loss for a team that couldn't seem to get the big hit. The Stars left runners at second and third in the seventh and four runners had been stranded in scoring position. One swing of Wilson's bat, however, provided the antidote.

 

"That's what we've been missing in the second half, a big hit like that," Anderson said.

 

Anderson led off the eighth with a single to right. After Jonathan Lucroy struck out and Taylor Green popped out, Lorenzo Cain was hit by a Marcos Mateo pitch. Then Wilson crushed the game-winner over the left-centerfield wall.

 

"I knew it was a big spot," Wilson said. "I was just trying to get one (run) across to keep the game going. I was sitting fastball and he gave it to me. I just tried to take a nice easy swing."

 

Wilson was promoted from Single-A Brevard County, whose season ended Wednesday night. He spent most of spring training with the Stars and manager Bob Miscik wanted to keep him.

 

But the parent club Milwaukee Brewers wanted Wilson to get a full season at Single-A.

 

"I knew the addition of Wilson was going to help us," Miscik said. "I didn't know he was going to hit a three-run homer to win the game for us."

 

Butler was the unsung hero for the Stars. He allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings. Casey Baron got the win in relief and Rob Wooten earned the save.

 

Butler "has been throwing great for a while now," Miscik said, after missing a month because of a strained muscle in his rib cage. "He did his job."

 

Just like Wilson.

 

"We haven't had a big hit in quite some time," Miscik said. "It's been weeks and weeks since we've had a big hit.

 

"Hopefully, it's contagious because things in this game are."

 

The Smokies did all their damage in the fifth, thanks to Tyler Colvin's solo homer and Jonathan Mota's RBI infield single.

[Mass Haas]

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Call-up Wilson stuns with homer

Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

 

Before adressing Steffan Wilson's heroics Thursday in a 4-2 playoff win over the Tennessee Smokies, here's some Huntsville Stars' lore:

 

In 1985, Rocky Coyle hit a two-run homer in the ninth to give Huntsville a Southern League title in its first season.

 

In 1997, Justin Bowles, already home after finishing his Single-A season, got a call to report to Huntsville for the playoffs, but missed his flight. He arrived at the ballpark as the game started. The Stars trailed 2-1 in the series and were down 5-2 in the ninth when Bowles' three-run homer tied it.

 

"As soon as I hit it, it was like, 'No way!'" Bowles would say.

 

Thanks to Wilson, the Stars had themselves another "No way!" moment of lore Thursday night.

 

Less than 24 hours after being promoted to Huntsville, and with parents Jon and Liz in the stands, Wilson mashed a resounding two-out, three-run homer in the eighth inning to give the Stars a win over Tennessee in their Southern League playoff opener.

 

"Obviously it was awesome," Wilson said. "I wasn't expecting it, that's for sure."

 

Wilson is a 28th-round draft choice who played at that noted baseball factory, Harvard University. His education - he left after his junior year to sign with the Brewers - is cause for no little bit of clubhouse grief.

 

"I heard it today and I've heard it pretty much my whole career," he said. "They'd be like, 'Ask Harvard. He might know.' It always comes up."

 

His Brevard County team was eliminated from the Florida State League playoffs Wednesday night. Wilson and Zelous Wheeler, the wonderfully named infielder from Sylacauga, Alabama, were called to manager Mike Guerrero's office and told to report to Huntsville.

 

That was around 11 p.m. Wilson hadn't packed a thing at his home in Brevard because "we hadn't counted on losing." Around 3 a.m., with the help of his parents, he finished packing. He caught a quick nap and was up at 5 a.m. to catch a 7 a.m. flight.

 

He hit Huntsville by noon, grabbed another quick nap, hustled to the ballpark, made history - and put an end to a nine-game losing streak.

 

Meanwhile, "We put him on the airplane," Jon said.

 

"...And we took off," said Liz, completing the sentence.

 

Somebody fetched the home-run ball Wilson hit. At game's end, he tossed it to his parents.

 

Not that the Wilson family doesn't have its share of moments and collection of mementoes. Their oldest son Jon pitched in the Texas system. The brothers played together on teams that their father coached.

 

So it wasn't necessarily a nervous moment as they watched their son at bat in the eighth.

 

"We understand the game," Jon said.

 

"I would have felt bad had he not gotten a good hit," Liz admitted. "But he always seems to come through."

 

Wilson had a walk-off homer earlier in the year for Brevard County and "I didn't think I could top that feeling. But this did."

 

Hey, need a big home run to write some history and re-energize a team?

 

Ask Harvard.

[brewmann04]

Question what type of Prospect is Wilson being Projected as and what Position is he being Groomed for.

[TheCrew07]

Sorry we have a team dinner every Thursday night, I didn't get home until after 9 and missed the interview.