Spring Training Photos and Misc. Prospect News

[Mass Haas]

Chris' blog -- The Rattlers on TV Sunday

[DHonks]

Have we heard why Krieger isn't on a team? Is it an injury? or just too many OF's?

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

T.L. Hanna's Hall delays minor league start

By Paul Strelow, Anderson (S.C.) Independent Mail

 

Brooks Hall’s roommates packed their bags and left last week, leaving the rookie pro baseball player with an empty nest.

 

Hall is chomping at the bit to make a similar departure.

 

The former T.L. Hanna standout, a 2009 fourth-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers, has yet to taste the minor league experience.

 

While the season began last Thursday, he remained planted at extended spring training in Maryville, Ariz. -- a suburb of west Phoenix -- and probably will be there another month.

 

“Maybe when I get to the pros, it will be a lot different,” Hall joked.

 

Hall was the third tall, power-armed prospect Milwaukee selected in the opening four rounds, and he is expected to join the others at the Brewers’ low Single-A affiliate in Appleton, Wisc., when ready.

 

The delay speaks to the gradual process the 6-foot-5 right-hander faces in order to grow from a potential pitcher to a promising one.

 

After pitching a mere five innings as a prep junior, Hall threw just 20 as a senior before a forearm strain relegated him to a third baseman or designated hitter.

 

A projectable plus-slider and consistently low-90s fastball nonetheless persuaded Milwaukee to invest $700,000 in signing bonuses in him -- more than three times the amount Major League Baseball wanted teams spending on a late fourth-rounder.

 

Since then, Hall spent separate stints in Arizona doing weight-training at Milwaukee’s facilities during the fall and earlier this year.

 

The organization has him on a throwing program designed to help his arm transition to the vastly more laborious professional workload. Yet he still developed inflammation in his right shoulder a month ago, prompting the decision to keep Hall at extended spring training until he is healthy enough for use with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

 

Hall had a brief scare in October when results from a standard electrocardiogram test on his heart came back abnormal.

 

Doctors initially believed he might have an extra pathway in his heart. But further tests dispelled the supposition, and Hall said he was soon cleared to return to baseball without concern.

 

It has been 13 months since Hall pitched in an actual game, and the anticipation can test his patience.

 

“This season doesn’t really matter,” Hall said. “It’s just about progressing as much as I can and getting used to the pitching routine. It would be much different if I was coming out of college.”

[battlekow]

Wait, so Hall is going right to Wisconsin when it took them almost two years to promote Odorizzi there? Makes sense.

[Tedaldtada]

Yea, this Hall pick seems really weird. 25 innings total for his final two years in HS? I was the #2 on our HS staff, and I threw 70+ innings my senior year alone. Idk, I love how projectable he is, but that's about it.

[And That]

I'm hoping the "expected to join the others in low-A when ready," implying that it will be this year, is conjecture by either Hall or the author.

[TheCrew07]

If he ends up in WI this season then Nichols needs a good beating... Let him get his feet wet in short season ball. There's absolutely no reason to push this young man with all of the pitching the organization has in front of him.

[brewpitch]

In my opinion, chalk that one up as a columnist not being very informed. No way they were going to push this guy up to Low A that quick. I wouldn't be surprised to see him start in Arizona this year and Helena next year.

[battlekow]

New faces in new places for Helena Brewers

Amber Kuehn/Helena Independent Record

Helena Brewers fans will see several new faces at Kindrick Field when the 2010 season opens June 21.

Not only is there a new name leading the club in manager Joe Ayrault, but approximately 90 percent of the rookie team’s roster will consist of players selected in the June draft.

Several of last year’s stars began this season with Class A Wisconsin, inlcuding Milwaukee’s top draft pick in 2009, Eric Arnett. Arnett pitched his first game for the Timber Rattlers on Monday, throwing 4 1/3 innings and giving up five runs (four earned) on five hits. Arnett hit two batters, struck out three, and was charged with the loss to the Clinton LumberKings.

“At the pitching position, we’ll have a young group of guys,” Ayrault said of the Brewers.

Along with Arnett, former Helena hurlers Kyle Heckathorn, Jake Odorizzi, Nick Bucci, Hiram Burgos, Jonathan Pokorny and Andrew Lamontagne were moved up.

Catcher Cameron Garfield and infielders Sean Halton and Joey Paciorek are also listed on the Wisconsin roster.

While Ayrault isn’t entirely sure exactly who will be on his team when he arrives in Montana, he’s optimistic after seeing a ton of talent at spring training.

“I’m fired up about it, just to get to work in that part of the country is fantastic,” he said from his home in Sarasota, Fla. “With the guys that I’ve met, I’m very positive about our energy...There’s a lot of talent with the Brewers at the lower levels.”

Ayrault plans to be back in Arizona for about 10 days for extended spring training to get even more glimpses of the future, but is enjoying his time with family and friends in Florida. He said he’s helping a friend build a baseball facility called Extra Innings for the next two months before coming to the Treasure State. Extra Innings will feature nine batting cages where they’ll do lessons and camps and some speed and agility training, while working some with a strength and conditioning coach out of the Tampa Bay Rays organization.

While Ayrault admits he’s not used to short-season baseball, he thinks he could get used to the life. Before Saturday’s interview, the 38-year-old was fishing.

“I’m used to it being opening day now, being out there on third base and managing,” he said. “This time off is a little different, but it’s nice to spend the time with my family.”

As for people he expects to see when arriving in the Capital City, Ayrault said Maxwell Walla and Chad Stang are likely to start the season in Helena at the right field and center field positions, respectively. The other outfielder currently listed on the Helena roster is Scott Krieger.

Just who else will be playing for Ayrault his first year in Helena remains a mystery. It’s tough to know who Milwaukee will take in the draft without knowing all of the needs of the major league team, he said.

“I do know this about the Brewers: they do a great job in scouting,” he said. “Looking at the ’05, ’06, ’07 teams, I was very impressed with the talent that came through the Brewers organization.”

Ayrault wouldn’t say for sure if Cutter Dykstra, a second baseman who’s become a fan favorite in Helena, would return. The son of former major leaguer Lenny Dykstra is listed on the current Helena Brewers roster, though.

“For my own selfish reasons, I’d love to have Cutter Dykstra back,” Ayrault said. “He’s swinging the bat real well, and from what I’ve heard, his defense has really improved. I was impressed with what I saw of him this spring.”

In all seriousness, Ayrault said he’ll be happy with whoever he gets to work with and knows that rookie league is first and foremost about player development.

“That’s what this level is all about...you’re developing these players to be winners,” he said. “You want the guys out there to win every ball game, yet it’s the time to make mistakes. Make them now while you’re in rookie ball and learn from them so it doesn’t happen again at the higher levels.

“I have more satisfaction from sending guys up, but I am very competitive,” he admits. “I hate losing in cards to my wife. So I want to win with the guys we have. Still, there’s nothing like telling a guy he’s going up to the bigs and seeing the look on his face.”

Ayrault said he loves getting guys fresh out of the draft and showing them the ropes of baseball.

“I’m excited to teach them the Brewer way,” he said. “Just give me my rosters and I’m ready to go to work.”

[gobrew23]

There's no projection remaining here, so Peralta just needs to refine that slider and keep working on his fastball command (which was pretty good on Thursday) to get to the majors; at worst we're talking about a No. 2-3 starter who carries a 200-inning workload, given that frame and delivery.

That's nothing short of exciting. Sounds like Peralta has a great chance to shoot up the ladder this season. Our pitching in 2011 could be very, very good.

Keith Law put a little more praise out there for Peralta today during his 1:00 pm chat:

 

Vince (Toronto)

Has anyone, early into this season, made a big impression to you that would make you reconsider having them in your top-100 prospects, or making a huge jump if they were already there?

Klaw

(1:26 PM)

I wouldn't make a major move based on two weeks of stats. The one name that does come to mind is Wily Peralta of the Brewers - I saw him in March and he was much better than advertised, and I may have underrated him in January.