Spring Training Photos and Misc. Prospect News

[Mass Haas]

WSSP - Brett Lawrie tells Tim Allen he can't wait to get to the Bigs

[battlekow]

Photographic proof that Kentrail Davis is indeed a Brewer:

 

http://cdn1.sbnation.com/photo_images/480142/160689_Brewers_Reds_Spring_Baseball.jpg

(AP)

 

Here's Mark Rogers:

 

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/31/fullj.4f218602889bd408139b38b65e62d930/4f218602889bd408139b38b65e62d930-getty-96869274lb006_milwaukee_bre.jpg

(AP)

 

...and here's Mark Rogers doing his best Mike Adams impersonation:

 

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/4e/fullj.3485ebec4cfa4a6e034e5acda388e16a/3485ebec4cfa4a6e034e5acda388e16a-getty-96869274lb005_milwaukee_bre.jpg

(AP)

[Mass Haas]

A reminder that while we'll bring you some of the more obscure web articles floating around (player hometown papers and such), continue to refer to the Journal and MLB.com daily for tidbits on minor leaguers at this time of year, as we won't always link to each mention.

 

Come the regular season, our Link Reports and team threads will have you covered 100%.

 

That being said, the J-S has Mark Rogers and Jonathan Lucroy news in their notes column today.

[Mass Haas]

Unless there is a very unique contribution by a minor leaguer in the Brewers' big league camp games, it doesn't look like we're going to give a minutia rundown of details on a daily basis -- you'll find minor league camp guys sprinkled among the names in the Rockies and White Sox box scores, and we'll continue to point out in the in-game threads when players have suited up for these games, just thank you for not making us detail each groundout or flyout.

 

We will tell you that in two plate appearances, Kentrail Davis has a sacrifice bunt and a HBP. Dude just refuses to qualify for an actual professional at-bat.

[Mass Haas]

The samples are microscopic, but if you need to see which minor leaguers have made appearances, all the spring training stats are here.

[Mass Haas]

Zach Braddock again -- we need a side-by-side with Jeff Suppan --

 

AP Photo via the J-S site

http://media.jsonline.com/images/521*600/ap-brewers-white-sox-spring-baseballa(2).jpg

[tyguy20204]

I didn't see this posted anywhere, but I might have overlooked it.

 

Nevertheless, more glowing praise for Cain, who looks to have an excellent comeback season.

Willie Randolph also had some pretty impressive things to say about Cain.

 

“What an at-bat,” Randolph said of Cain’s homer. “He’s had a few of

those over the last couple days. He’s outstanding and he’s really

starting to show his skills. (MLB VP of on-field operations) Bob Watson

was here the other day and watched him take batting practice and said,

‘Wow, who is that kid?’ And you know Bob is a talent evaluator.”

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/brewers.html

 

[TheCrew07]

I'm in a difficult position in that I'd love for Cain to explode again this season... but it's a difficult position in that Cain proving himself yet again and Gomez struggling would make the Hardy trade rather pointless. Cain could also play some RF, but I'm not sure he'll hit for enough power over the course of 162 to be anything more than a CF.

[Mass Haas]

Tom H. on Amaury Rivas -- good stuff

[Mass Haas]

WSSP Audio with Tim Allen:

 

Jonathan Lucroy

 

Angel Salome

Lorenzo Cain

http://wssp.radiotown.com/audio/springtraining/031410_TimwCain.mp3Mat Gamel

 

EDIT: Fixed Gamel link.

[TooLiveBrew]

MH, your Gamel link is a duplicate of the Cain link. Just in case anyone wants to listen to Gamel in the (I'm sure) roughly 3 minutes it'll take for MH to fix his link, here it is

 

http://wssp.radiotown.com...ing/031410_TimwGamel.mp3

[TheCrew07]

Lucroy with love for Axford, Braddock, Rogers.... Salome with some love for Rivas... our young catchers rule.

 

Cain talks about not playing sports and starting to play baseball as a 10th grader.

 

Gamel talks about his injury (the link took me to Cain's audio) and the interview cuts out before the end.

[battlekow]

Mike Fiers sure looked good today, didn't he? Struck out the side, got his fastball up to 92, and showed a nice curve.

[TheCrew07]

I just got done watching the MLB game on the DVR and man does Fiers look good. A very nice curve and he located VERY well. I realize he wasn't facing the regulars for Cleveland but I was impressed, he also threw harder than I expected. Most of his FBs were 90, I saw 1 at 91 and 1 at 88, all according to the FSN gun. My guess is that he will continue to move quickly through the system.

[Mass Haas]

For those of you with MLB.com video subscriptions, you can watch Michael Fiers' 8th inning in the archive here.

 

Go the 2 hour, 15 minute mark.

 

It takes place during a dugout interview with Rickie Weeks, which is entertaining on its own.

 

Nick Weglarz, Brian Bixler, and Carlos Rivero -- no soup for you!

2009 stats for the "young" man (25 in June 2010) -- 59 K's, 5 BB's, 40.2 IP, 1.33 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, are you kidding?

 

It's scouting stories like this one (22nd round) and John Axford off-the-scrap-heap-in-Canada that should make everyone a fan of our Link Report updates on the farmhands. Love it, rock on Michael!

[Mass Haas]

MiLB finally convinced the Sounds to convert their website to the MiLB umbrella.

Insert *sigh* here.

 

The Sounds had been one of the few holdouts across baseball, and their site was just fantastic.

 

Hopefully we won't lose the daily media notes and the pre-game interviews. It appears as though there's a multimedia section, we'll see what comes of it.

 

RIP, old nashvillesounds.com.

[EbbaStClaire]

I went back to the mlb video of yesterday's game to watch Fiers pitch. He threw 9 fastballs, one at 89, 2 at 90, 4 at 91 and 2 at 92. In addition he threw 2 CB's at 72-74 and one straight change(?) at 80 mph that faded away from a left-handed hitter. I found an article in the 2009 draft information on this website that Fiers threw four pitches that were all average. Yesterday his pitches were a lot better than average! In fact my first thought is with four pitches why isn't he being groomed to start.

 

I also thought Dillard looked good considering he is making a big change in his arm angle and approach. He still threw hard and his ball had a lot of movement.

[colbyjack]

I don't mean to take anything away from Fiers' performance yesterday, but a right-handed pitcher that throws 89-92 is pretty average. That last fastball he threw was straight as an arrow, right down the pipe in between the knees and the belt. Good MLB hitters crush that pitch.

 

He did set it up well, keeping hitters honest with that curveball that showed really nice break. I agree that his changeup appeared to be a legit third pitch, but he is on the old-ish side for a prospect, so the Brewers may be trying to put him in a position to advance quickly.

 

And if he throws 89-92 in relief, he would probably throw 87-88 as a starter. Regardless of that, he did look good, and he is definitely due for a bump on my own personal P50 list.

 

I agree that Dillard looked good as well with his new arm angle. He also looked more trim than how I remembered him.

[Mass Haas]

From Tom H.:

 

MEDICAL REPORT: Center field prospect Logan Schafer, who suffered a groin strain before the start of big-league camp and did not report, is still plagued by that injury in minor-league camp. Farm director Reid Nichols said Schafer recently was shut down for a couple of days to see if complete rest would help.

CACTUS JUICE: It's not difficult to tell the injured players in the minor-league camp. If restricted in any way, they wear red-cross jerseys instead of the normal blue attire. Second baseman Brett Lawrie, a first-round draft pick in 2008 draft, wore red during the Monday workout because of a slight groin strain that was not deemed serious.

[EbbaStClaire]

colbyjack[/b]]I don't mean to take anything away from Fiers' performance yesterday, but a right-handed pitcher that throws 89-92 is pretty average. That last fastball he threw was straight as an arrow, right down the pipe in between the knees and the belt. Good MLB hitters crush that pitch.

 

He did set it up well, keeping hitters honest with that curveball that showed really nice break. I agree that his changeup appeared to be a legit third pitch, but he is on the old-ish side for a prospect, so the Brewers may be trying to put him in a position to advance quickly.

 

And if he throws 89-92 in relief, he would probably throw 87-88 as a starter. Regardless of that, he did look good, and he is definitely due for a bump on my own personal P50 list.

 

I agree that Dillard looked good as well with his new arm angle. He also looked more trim than how I remembered him.

Just a couple of more comments regarding Fiers. Yesterday his fastball was as good as Gallardo's at least regarding velocity. Movement of a fastball on TV is very hard for me to judge. Good point regarding stamina but unless they try to build up Fiers' arm we will never know if it can be done. It's also possible that good coaching (compared to his college coaching) may make a big difference. I'd put him at Brevard for a half year, extend him and see what happens. He can always become a short reliever at Huntsville for the second half. Its a mute point now but I was afraid that his appearance in yesterday's game was a prelude to him being traded for Lofgren. Yesterday his stuff looked so good. I hope he continues to repeat that outing.

 

 

[Mass Haas]

FYI -- The J-S reports that the Brewers plan to stretch out Chuck Lofgren and return him to a starting role.

[pete]

That is too bad that the Sounds website is going to MLB. Its really kind of amazing how poorly much of the digital media is executed, but alas they are making lots of money so I'm sure they say whatever. I wonder if the guy who had a pretty nice Sounds blog will do it again this season.

[battlekow]

Lawrie siblings push each other, all the way to the top

Larry Stone/Seattle Times

CHANDLER, Ariz. — Let's start by answering the question everyone

wants to know: No, Danielle Lawrie, the best college softball pitcher in

the land, has never faced Brett Lawrie, the highest-drafted Canadian

position player ever.

 

Not on the sandlots of Langley, B.C., where the siblings grew up

dominating the diamonds. Not on one of the Lawrie family camping trips,

where their father, Russ, would invariably wake up the kids at 7 a.m.,

find a nearby ball field, and insist upon a workout to start the day.

 

Not even in their backyard. For one thing, Brett said Tuesday,

standing outside the Milwaukee Brewers' minor-league facility in

Chandler, there was the risk of injury if one of Danielle's screaming

fastballs went astray. But that wasn't all of it.

 

"My dad is not really a fan of that. Not now, anyways," Danielle said

last week while sitting in the dugout of the Husky Softball Stadium

during a respite from her relentless dominance of college fastpitch.

 

"He doesn't think it's necessary, because either way, it's going to

be a lose-lose. I strike him out, and he's super-pissed, or he gets a

hit off me, and I'm really upset. So we'll just leave it at a mystery

until the day it comes about."

 

Let's get serious. A brother and sister leaving that issue behind

without a little friendly trash talking? Not going to happen.

 

"I want to (face him), because I really don't think he would hit it,"

Danielle said.

 

"I'd get in there and just hack it," countered Brett. "I know if I

were to even relatively catch one, I'd take it out. I mean, it's only a

200-foot fence. But I don't think I'd be able to catch up to the first

few, so we'd have to see happens."

 

The truth is, Brett and Danielle Lawrie are fiercely loyal, extremely

close, and each other's No. 1 fan.

 

If one is searching for any bit of jealousy from Danielle, who is

about to finish her senior season at the University of Washington as the

Stephen Strasburg of her sport, yet with minimal professional outlets

to continue her career, you can look from here to Oklahoma City and not

find a drop.

 

"I have no jealousy whatsoever," she said. "I mean, he's my brother.

He was never, ever jealous of anything I got. As a female, I'm so

thankful for what I've been recognized for, and what I still have the

opportunity to be recognized for. But who wouldn't want a brother that

has the opportunity to be one of the best? And I truly believe he has

that quiet confidence.

 

"People always say, your brother is getting to go pro. I say, in a

heartbeat I would trade him, because I would. But I love my life, and I

love the people that are in it. He's such a big part of my life, it's

like I'm living it with him."

 

 

There is a professional softball league in the United States still

clinging to life, but the best opportunity, financial and otherwise, for

stars of Lawrie's ilk is in Japan.

 

"If I got that opportunity, I would jump all over it to do it,"

Danielle said. "I mean, why not? I'm turning 23 years

old. For me to think, oh, it's time to go and start a family or

anything, no. I've got a lot of time to keep playing and put back into

this U-Dub team when I'm done, and more into the national program."

 

Meanwhile, Brett Lawrie, barely a month past his 20th birthday, is at

the advent of a professional career brimming with promise. The Brewers'

No. 1 pick in 2008 (No. 16 overall, and the final first-round pick

orchestrated by Jack Zduriencik before he left Milwaukee for Seattle),

Lawrie is rated the 59th best prospect in baseball in the latest

Baseball America rankings.

 

Brett, who received a reported $1.7 million signing bonus, has moved

from catcher (yes, he has caught his sister, and says, with a glint,

"It's not as hard as you think") to second base. He is regarded as that

rarest of commodities, a middle infielder with 20 homer, 20 stolen base

potential. In his first full minor-league season last year, Lawrie hit

.274 in 118 games between Class A and AA, with 13 homers, 65 runs batted

in, and 19 stolen bases.

 

"I'm there. I'm close," he said. "I'm still a young guy. Obviously, I

want to be up there as soon as I can, but it's going to take a little

bit of work. I'm working hard every day, trying to get better and trying

to learn new things, respecting everyone, going about my work every

day, just doing the daily grind."

 

But as he moves up the minor-league ranks, Brett is paying rapt

attention to the progress of the No. 1 ranked Huskies as they aim to

defend last year's national crown. Last June, he was in the middle of a

game for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers as Danielle was closing out the

Huskies' title run with a tense 3-2 victory over Florida in Oklahoma

City.

 

"We were in a tie game, and it was the ninth inning for us," he

recalled. "I said, 'You know what, I cannot miss it.' So I went upstairs

to the clubhouse and turned it on. It was good."

 

Brett says of sister Danielle, who this year has racked up a 14-0

record with a 0.99 ERA and 160 strikeouts in 92 innings (not to mention a

.373 batting average and .806 slugging percentage): "Whether it was

basketball, softball, soccer, she was always that dominant athlete. You

could see. It was obvious she was going to grow up into something pretty

big."

 

Both agree that father Russ is the architect of their athletic

success, forging the competitive spirit and work ethic that has driven

both.

 

"My dad said, since I first started competing, there was a pathway,

and if you stay true to the path, and stick to what you do, you're going

to get an opportunity to hopefully go somewhere and shine," said

Danielle.

 

"In my eyes, he's never been wrong. He's definitely the one that got

me here, and my brother to where he is. He deserves more recognition

with a lot of things than I think I deserve. He made me, him and my

mom."

 

Though he is in Brewers' minor-league camp, Brett Lawrie has been

called up for a couple of spring games and has a triple to his credit.

In a recent phone call, Danielle asked Brett what it was like to hang

with Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun and the rest of the Brewers.

 

"He said, 'To be honest, Bobe (the family nickname for Danielle), I

just sit on the end of the dugout and do my own thing,' " Danielle

reported. "I was like, 'Good, because you're usually a loud-mouth.' "

 

Ah, brothers and sisters. Got to love them. But throw aside the

bluster and understand that these siblings are kindred spirits.

 

"I have so much belief my brother is going to make it," said Danielle

of Brett. "He just makes me really proud. It's tough I can't watch him

as much as I like."

 

"She's been very successful, but it hasn't been easy," said Brett of

Danielle. "She's worked hard for it. You can never take that away from

her that she works harder than anyone I know. She probably even works

harder than I do."

 

We'll give Danielle, as the elder family member, the final word.

 

"I brag about him all the time to my girlfriends. I say, 'Who wants

to marry him?' I'd love to get a softball girl in there. I'm working on

it."

[Mass Haas]

Injury updates and a catching analysis from both Adam and Anthony

[Mass Haas]

Haudricourt with a fairly lengthy update on Josh Butler