Your 2010 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

[battlekow]

Odorizzi bringing the heat to a chilly Wisconsin spring

Curt Rallo/MiLB.com

 

Right-hander Jake

Odorizzi isn't fazed when he sees his breath in the biting

chill of Wisconsin in April. The native of Highland, Ill., can handle

the cold weather and has handled Midwest League hitters so far this

season.

 

 

Odorizzi, who turned 20 on March 27, pitched five hitless innings in his

Midwest League debut. In 12 innings this season, he's 1-0 with a 1.50

ERA, allowing only two runs on four hits and five walks while striking

out 19.

 

Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 175 pounds, Odorizzi brings heat to the

frigid spring.

 

 

The impressive start marks a step forward for the 32nd overall pick in

the 2008 Draft. He was 1-2 with a 3.48 ERA in his debut in the

Rookie-level Arizona League, then went 1-4 with a 4.40 ERA last season

in the Rookie-level Pioneer League.

 

 

"It takes a little bit getting used to, throwing every fifth day,"

Odorizzi said. "The competition level is tough, but now I'm fully used

to it.

 

 

"Midway through last season, things just kind of kicked in. I'm

comfortable with it and I haven't had problems since then."

 

 

Odorizzi attributed his dominant start this season to Brewers coaches

preparing him for a transition to full-season baseball and getting

strong support from Timber Ratters teammates.

 

 

"I'm throwing the ball pretty well and the team is playing great behind

me," he said. "They're hitting the ball really well and playing good

defense. They've put it all together and that makes for a good start."

 

 

When Odorizzi steps on the mound, Midwest League opponents face an

arsenal of weapons. He employs a four-seam fastball, slider, curve and

changeup.

 

 

"I had all those pitches in high school," Odorizzi said. "Now I'm

working on perfecting them. The changeup is what I'm working on the

most. That's my main emphasis."

 

 

Odorizzi's effectiveness lies in keeping hitters off-balance with that

four-pitch repertoire.

 

 

"It gives the hitter a lot to think about," he said. "Even if it's a

pitch I don't throw very much, it's still in the back of their minds

that they could see it. I work hard at trying to keep hitters

off-balance," he explained. "I work both sides of the plate and try to

stay one step ahead of the hitter."

 

 

Odorizzi is able to handle the expectations that come with being a

first-round pick and has the patience required to develop in the Minor

Leagues.

 

 

"The Brewers are taking their time with me and I understand that," he

said. "I came in with an open mind. Everybody wants to be progressed

quickly, but there are always people ahead of you. You have to keep

things in the right perspective. You can go out and pitch well and think

you're ready, but the next outing, you might do terrible. It humbles

you. You have to be patient."

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2010/04/29/XRuW6327.jpg

Jake Odorizzi is averaging 12.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

(Chris

Proctor/Four Seam Images)

[battlekow]

MLB Daily Dish did an interview with Odorizzi:

JAKE: I'm a big Cardinals fan since we lived just outside St.

Louis.

Gotta work on the past tense there, Jake.

[paul253]

Jake Odorizzi is very quickly becoming one of my favorite Brewer prospects, and even though he is so far away, I view him as the top Brewers pitching prospect in the system, ahead of Arnett, Rivas, and Rogers. I would like to see him moved up to BC at the all-star break. Push the kid a little bit.

[jtsteward]

I would like to see him moved up to BC at the all-star break. Push the kid a little bit.

As would I! Jake is becoming one of my favorites as well. The more I see that T-Rat picture of Jake it reminds me of another #23 pitching in the American League, Zack Greinke (can only wish he has his success as well). Here's to hoping that Jake makes a good run through the minors and into big clubs rotation in the not so distant future.

 

 

[battlekow]

Chris Dennis's cousin is a bit of a hockey prospect.

[Mass Haas]

Wow, how thorough has Brett been with this series of profiles! Sweet...

 

***

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Profile: No. 29 Efrain Nieves

by Post-Crescent staff writer Brett Christopherson

- Age: 20.

- Position: Pitcher.

- Bats/throws: Left/left.

- Height, weight: 6-0, 172.

- Residence: Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

- Glove: Rawlings, PRO200-4JB.

 

- Notes: Selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh round of the 2007 June draft. ... Went 5-7 with 86 K's and a 5.70 ERA in 27 appearances, including 11 starts, last season with the Rattlers. ... Participated in the 2009 International Baseball Federation World Cup as a member of Team Puerto Rico. ... Pitched at the rookie level in 2007 and '08 at Arizona and Helena (Mont.).

 

Favorites

 

- MLB team growing up: Cleveland Indians.

- MLB player(s) growing up: Roberto Clemente, Albert Pujols and Johan Santana.

- Brewers player: Yovani Gallardo.

- TV show: "George Lopez."

- Food: Rice and beans with pork chops and fried plantains. "I like to keep it home style."

- Wisconsin food: "A regular restaurant, like Applebee's or T.G. I. Friday's.

- Thing about Appleton: "The weather in the summer."

- Pitch: Changeup. "Other than the pitch looks like a fastball, just to see the reaction of the hitters and to see what that one pitch can do — the effect it can do on a hitter."

- Sport other than baseball: Ping-pong.

 

Q&A

 

Q: What's up with ping-pong?

 

A: Growing up, my mom and dad, for my 14th or 15th birthday, bought me a ping-pong table. And every time after school, if I didn't have any practice or anything like that, I just relaxed and played some ping-pong.

 

Q: What do you like to do during those rare moments of free time?

 

A: Here (in Appleton), we've got a mall nearby. So I like to go to the mall and relax my mind. If I want to buy something, I'll buy something nice. Or I'll go back home and watch a movie or go to the movie theater. Get as much away from the field as possible.

 

Q: You mentioned Roberto Clemente as being one of your favorite players growing up. Is he still revered in your native Puerto Rico?

 

A: Definitely. Not only in our country, but I think in Nicaragua, too. That's where he tried to help the people out (at the time of his plane crash). He's a huge hero down in Puerto Rico. Growing up, having that role model — not only was he a great player, but a great human being.

 

Q: What was the hardest adjustment in getting acclimated to American culture?

 

A: Learning the language. And then after that, just trying to find — not good food, but something you can relate to your hometown or little by little start to eat a little bit of each food so, by the end, you know what kind of food you like in the States.

 

Q: You speak very good English. How did you learn?

 

A: It was a hard time. I knew a little bit of English, but I couldn't speak fluently or use the right phrase or anything like that. But just talking every day to the players and coaches (helped). Sometimes, they'd laugh, but that's just part of the game. They tried to help you out. Most of the time, I would say something wrong, and they were like, "Hey, I understand what you're saying, but try to say it like this."

 

Q: The Rattlers have reintroduced the host family program, which you have chosen to partake in after living in an apartment here last year. Why?

 

A: This year, being my second year here, my family already knew how everything worked in the Midwest. So they were going to come and visit me more often, and I didn't want to stay in an apartment and pay too much rent. When they come here and I have to leave the apartment, I still would have to pay the rent and pay the hotel where they're staying. So the host family is better. You still pay, but you don't pay as much as the apartment. And if I'm not staying there, I don't have to pay. So I'll just go out and relax with my family for the time they're staying here. And whenever they leave, I'll just go back to the host family.

 

Q: You are not related to former Brewers hurler Juan Nieves. But do you get that question a lot?

 

A: A couple of times. Even when we're playing in Beloit, they have a picture of Juan Nieves there, and I had a couple of fans just stopping by and saying, "Hey, are you related to Juan Nieves?" I was like, "No. I wish." Or at least, I wish I could have gotten to know him to see how his experience was in the minor leagues and the big leagues.

 

Q: You opened the season as a standalone starter but struggled and were moved back into a tandem system. What was the problem?

 

A: I don't know. I think it was the pressure, the pressure that I put on myself in just being an alone guy to try to go long instead of working inning by inning, batter by batter. I think that was basically the biggest challenge for me. Moving me to the bullpen, they were like, "Hey, we just want you to command your pitches. That's it. We don't want you to worry about the result because we want you to get back in a rhythm, so that way, when we put you alone, you just keep going in that rhythm."

 

Q: What did you take from playing for Puerto Rico in last year's IBAF World Cup?

 

A: When the manager called me, I didn't believe it until my agent finally sat me down and said, "Hey, this is happening." Obviously, last year, I was having a rough season (with the Rattlers). But they were like, "Hey, they don't care. They want you on the team, so try and take advantage of every single play that happens." It was an awesome experience, because I got to play with a couple of big leaguers, like Ruben Gotay and Raul Casanova. So it was a good experience to play each and every day with them and hear their stories about how their minor-league experience was up to the big leagues.

 

Q: Say you reach the majors — do want to be a starter or a reliever?

 

A: It doesn't matter. Like every baseball player, I just want to get there, stay healthy and be able to have a long career. That's my biggest dream.

Q: Finally, what's it going to take for you to make it to the bigs?

 

A: I'll be honest with myself. I've got to control the running game and keep commanding my pitches and take one pitch at a time; not try to think of the next inning if I'm in this inning.

 

The Tool Box

 

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook breaks down Efrain Nieves' skills:

 

- Fastball velocity: He's 87 to 89 (mph), which is mild average to average range for a big-league fastball. He's mostly a four-seam guy but is converting to more of a two-seam sink/run guy. He's a command pitcher, and that's what he does best.

 

- Off-speed pitches: His next best pitch is a changeup. He's got a good feel for that. I think he can improve — he gets a little too fine at times. Then he's got his curve/slurve. We're trying to get him to be a little bit more similar to his arm action out of his fastball, make that a bit cleaner. It's got more of a 10-to-4 break, as opposed to a 12-to-6. But that's improving as well. Last year, he really struggled with command of that pitch. But he's kind of switching — instead of being a four-seam/changeup guy, (he's trying to become) a two-seam/four-seam/change/curve guy. So he's in a process of kind of changing how he attacks hitters and being more of a contact guy early in the count instead of always looking for a strikeout, looking with a four-seam fastball and pinpointing it.

 

- Overall command: He's got good command. Part of command is the ability to control your fastball and the ability to execute the fastball. Sometimes, he gets a little lax in executing a fastball in a particular area in moving more towards the middle of the plate. But that's kind of what he's working on, being able to work the edges and up and down a little bit more effectively.

 

- Movement: The sinker is something he really never threw in his life. He threw four-seamers. But a sinker is more of an advanced pitch because a lot of guys can throw a baseball with two seams and then have it run, but it takes more of an advanced practice to get that ball to go down and be effective. It takes time to get a feel for that, and that's kind of where he's at right now.

 

- Final thoughts: Fantastic kid. I think we forgot, at times, he was 18, 19 years old last year. And he's still one of the youngest guys on the team this year. … So I have to display patience with him. He has learned to become a better professional.

[BrewCrew Fan]

Efrain is by far one of my favorite Brewers. What a class act. Spoke to him this spring and he was telling me that he was going back to Appleton and explained to me that he understood why he was going back there and knew what adjustments he needed to make before taking that next step forward. How can you not root for this young man.

[battlekow]

Here's a

of one of Scooter Gennett's at-bats in spring training, concluding in a home run.

[battlekow]

Odorizzi gives Brewers' pitching hope for future

Rob Lucas/Beloit Daily News

 

The current state of the Milwaukee Brewers pitching staff may

bring tears to the eyes of some fans, but there is hope on the horizon

in the form of Wisconsin Timber Rattler Jake Odorizzi, even if that

horizon is a few years away.

 

Prior to getting hit around a bit

Monday by the Beloit Snappers, the 20-year-old Illinois native had

dominated Midwest League hitters. Through the first month of the season,

he had allowed just nine hits and struck out 20 in 14 innings.

 

The

ninth-ranked prospect in the Brewers’ system according to Baseball

America would be happy if he was called up tomorrow, but he knows he has

a lot of work to do.

 

“It’s a long road,” Odorizzi said. “Some

people aren’t there yet at 25 or 26, but it’s nice to be on the right

progression track toward it. I’m trying to get better, little ways or

big ways, anything to make you a little better.”

 

Odorizzi combines a solid fastball with a curveball that has

shown to be a plus-pitch, but is still working on refining his skills.

The transition from being a thrower, like most high schoolers are, to

becoming a pitcher is challenging one.

 

“I’m learning to trust my

defense and trust my stuff,” he said. “You can’t strike everybody out

anymore like in high school. You really have to trust your defense and

your stuff and be confident in what you do. If you are going to throw a

pitch you aren’t confident in, you might as well step off and not throw

at all.

 

“Last year I was more of a thrower, trying to do

everything myself. It’s more than just throwing. You have to think of

what you want to do, what’s been working. That’s pitching. If it’s not

working, you have to make it work.”

 

The number of strikeouts has

been a surprise for the 6-foot-2 right-hander, as he struck out 43 in 47

innings last season. The spike may be an early-season anomaly, but it

may have to do with Odorizzi’s comfort on the mound during his second

season in pro baseball.

 

“I think it’s being more comfortable (on

the mound),” Odorizzi said of his increase in punchouts. “It’s not your

first year anymore. You know what to do. It’s growing up a little and

being more mature and you feel more effective. You focus more on every

pitch and executing.”

 

The Brewers liked Odorizzi’s easy throwing

motion and projectable frame when they made him the 32nd pick in the

2008 First Year player draft. Growing up 30 minutes from St. Louis,

Odorizzi would have loved to pitch for his hometown Cardinals, but being

selected by a team that plays in the same division is good enough.

 

“One

of the first thoughts I had in my head was that the Brewers were in the

same division as the Cardinals,” he said. “A lot of the teams are

relatively close so if or when I get there, I’ll be playing close to

home.”

 

Like many amateur players, Odorizzi had no idea who would

draft him, and was pleasantly surprised when the Brewers called his

name. It was an emotional day, knowing he was a step closer to achieve

his dream of being a big league pitcher.

 

“I had no idea, we were

just going in open-minded,” he said. “Happiness was my first reaction,

then I got a little emotional because I finally accomplished what I

wanted to do, at least the beginning part of it.”

 

A signing bonus

of $1.06 million was enough to keep Odorizzi from a scholarship at the

University of Louisville and give the Brewers a much-needed pitching

prospect. The team is moving him along slowly as he only threw 67.2

innings over his first two seasons in the system, but that’s just fine

for Odorizzi as he knows the team has his best interests in mind.

 

“I

think I’m on a pretty good pace right now,” he said. “Everybody wants

to progress quickly and I’m no different, but you can’t say anything

about moving faster because it’s what they wantto do.”

 

http://images.townnews.com/beloitdailynews.com/content/articles/2010/05/04/sports/local_sports/sports402.jpg

(Marc Correnti/Beloit Daily News)

[battlekow]

Minnechaug Regional product Pete Fatse of Hampden learning the ins and outs of minor league baseball

Bill Wells/MassLive.com

 

Pete Fatse doesn’t look at himself as a player who was selected in the

24th round by the Milwaukee Brewers, or as someone who played three

seasons of Division I collegiate baseball, or as one of the best

baseball players to wear a uniform for Minnechaug Regional High School.

 

Instead, the 22-year-old looks at himself as a player on the Wisconsin

Timber Rattlers just trying to make the next play, whatever that play

may be.

 

“Once you get to professional baseball, all the other stuff is out the

window,” said Fatse, of Hampden, a 2006 Minnechaug graduate. “Your round

... it doesn’t matter. If you perform and put up numbers, I think

that’s what gets you noted, more than this guy is here and this guy is

there.

 

“There are guys that were drafted in the 45th round that are

unbelievable and are tearing it up. Once you’re in, once you’re here,

your production speaks volumes. I just consider myself another guy on

the diamond hitting in the four hole for the Timber Rattlers right now.

That’s how I see myself.”

 

Fatse, in his first full season of minor league baseball, is putting up

great numbers. In 18 games for the Timber Rattlers, he’s batting .351,

with two homers and 18 RBI. The 5-foot-10, 170-pounder has a slugging

percentage of .684 and on base percentage of .438. He’s among the league

leaders in the Midwest League in batting average, slugging, on base

percentage and RBI.

 

After being taken by the Brewers in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft,

Fatse left the University of Connecticut and headed to rookie ball for

Helena, Mont., in the Pioneer League. He played four games before being

promoted to Wisconsin, which is regarded as low-A. In a combined 63

games, he batted .237.

 

But the 2009 season prepared Fatse for 2010. He worked on transitioning

himself physically and mentally from the 60-game season of the college

schedule to the 142 of the minors.

 

“For me, there was an adjustment period trying to find out how I fit

into a pro ball system and learning what they want me to do and their

expectations,” Fatse said. “You’re facing guys who are quality pitchers

for the first time with wood bats as opposed to metal, and that makes

things difficult at times. Last year was such an adjustment in the

schedule and wear and tear on your body every day.

 

“Preparing my mindset for this year, I prepared myself for that aspect

as much as I could in the off-season.”

 

Along with his great start at the plate, Fatse has given the Timber

Rattlers tremendous flexibility defensively. He’s played both corner

outfield positions, as well as third and second base.

 

“I’ve never play two games in the same spot in a row,” he said. “I’m in

left then right then second then third. I don’t mind at all. I love

playing where ever. I like the opportunity to play all over the

diamond.”

 

Despite his hot start, Fatse isn’t falling into the trap of minor league

baseball. With the help of a former local major league baseball player,

he said he’s not even thinking about moving up the minor league ladder.

 

 

“Guys move up and down the minor leagues. It’s a crazy system. Mike

Trombley of Wilbraham gave me the best advice,” explained Fatse,

referring to the former 11-year pro. “He told me, ‘Don’t try and figure

out the minor leagues. All you can control is every pitch and every at

bat. Just focus on those things and hopefully the rest will play itself

out’.”

 

http://media.masslive.com/sports_impact/photo/-1a22abda857008a0_medium.jpg

[battlekow]

Brewers pitching prospect gets head back in game
Tom Haudricourt/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Grand Chute — Eric Arnett had no control over the scary storm
front that set off tornado sirens Tuesday night outside of Fox Cities
Stadium.

What Arnett could
control were the black clouds swirling around in his head.

Though his
brilliant outing for the Class A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers was shortened
to three innings by lightning and torrential rain, the 22-year-old
right-hander took a big step toward fulfilling the promise that prompted
the Brewers to select him in the first round of the 2009 June draft out
of Indiana University.

"It was kind of
bad luck to finally get on track and have a good start and the rain cuts
you short," Arnett said after the Midwest League game against Quad
Cities was officially suspended with a 0-0 score in the bottom of the
third.

"But I felt a lot
better, just getting back to what I do best. Getting that feeling
again, knowing I can do it and putting all that other stuff behind me."

"All that other
stuff" included four starts for the Timber Rattlers that made Arnett
look more like a 30th-rounder than the 26th overall pick a year ago.
Covering only 16 innings in those outings, Arnett staggered to a 0-2
record and 11.25 earned run average, with 23 hits allowed and an
opponents' batting average of .319.

The 6-foot-5,
230-pound Arnett did his best to keep a stiff upper lip while absorbing
those beatings. But, no matter how gleaming your résumé, doubts start to
creep in when crooked numbers are posted on the scoreboard.

"He's been
getting a little frustrated, but I don't see that as a bad thing," said
Timber Rattlers manager Jeff Isom. "I don't always see failure as a bad
thing, if you can learn from it.

"If you continue
to go out and make the same mistakes, then we've got problems. You ask,
'What is this guy made of? Is he a competitor or not?'?"

Part of Arnett's
rude awakening was the realization that pitching behind in the count was
a recipe for disaster. He compounded that problem by resorting to
taking a bit off his fastball to throw strikes and avoid walks.

Such pitches are
commonly called "get 'em over" fastballs. But what enemy hitters did was
get them over the fence. In those first four starts, Arnett was tagged
for four home runs.

"When you throw
92-93 mph and then lay an 86-87 mph fastball right in there, that's what
these bats are geared for," said Isom. "They're getting hit hard. He's
got to realize you can't do that.

"Nothing against
Big Ten baseball, but I played at Purdue and you're facing professional
hitters now. You need to stay a pitch above their bat speed. When he
does that and locates, he has success. We've seen glimpses of that."

Arnett flashed
more than glimpses against Quad Cities while facing the minimum number
of hitters through three innings. Rather than falling behind in the
count, he pounded the strike zone with fastballs and sliders, mixing in
an occasional changeup.

Arnett struck out
three and allowed a harmless single that was quickly erased with a
double-play grounder. But Arnett's biggest improvement was making a
necessary attitude adjustment before taking the mound.

For whatever
reason, Arnett had lost some of his aggressiveness. Rather than throwing
his pitches with conviction, he had become tentative, fearing the
worst.

In conversations
with Timber Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook, agent Joe Speed and Mike
Farrell, the Brewers' scout who signed him, Arnett kept getting the
same advice. Be yourself, they told him. Go out there with expectation
of success, not failure.

"It was all
mind-set," said Arnett. "I talked to a bunch of people and they said I
have to go out with the mentality that you're better than everyone else.
Have that fire in your eyes.

"When you have a
bad outing, it gets in your head. You try to make perfect pitches
instead of just letting it go and doing what you've done best your whole
life. I got sidetracked, trying to be too perfect. 'I don't want to
give up another home run.' That kind of thing. I just went out (against
Quad Cities) and used my stuff. 'Hit it if you can.'?"

"Being a
first-rounder, you have expectations. And I'm sure everybody else has
expectations. I really wasn't feeling any pressure but just being a guy
who's supposed to be on top of his game, and struggling and not helping
the team, it got to me a little bit. I had to make some changes."

Thus continues
the journey of a pitcher still trying to find his way as a young
professional. Positive results are nice and help build confidence, but
development is the top priority in the minors, especially at the lower
levels.

Accordingly, Hook
is working on tightening up Arnett's slider, which gets too big at
times and stays in the hitting zone too long. At the top of the to-do
list is throwing more changeups, giving hitters a different look from
Arnett's hard stuff.

"We're really
pushing the changeup," said Hook. "That's part of his development
process. He has been a fastball, slider guy. He has thrown a 'split' at
times. But we're force-feeding him changeups. He has to throw 'X' amount
of changeups a night.

"It's getting
better. He's getting a feel for it. At first, he had some grip issues.
His arm action is getting better. It takes time.

"He's a big, raw,
strong country boy. The talent is there. And he's got an athleticism
that you can't teach. We're looking for big things these next five
starts. I think we'll start seeing some traction."

http://media.jsonline.com/images/660*563/ericarnett050610.jpg
(Post-Crescent)

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Dykstra determined to put last year's woes behind him and get back on fast track to major leagues

Brett Christopherson, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

GRAND CHUTE — The text message consists of nine words, yet they have come to mean a great deal to Wisconsin Timber Rattlers second baseman Cutter Dykstra.

 

" 'Don't ever lose the faith you have in yourself,' " he said, repeating the message. "I saved it, actually. I look at it all the time."

 

The sender? New York Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher, who befriended Dykstra during an offseason in which they met up at UCLA to work on all things baseball and chat about all things life.

 

The meaning?

 

"I want to be out there," Dykstra said prior to Wednesday's Midwest League doubleheader with Quad Cities at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

 

"I want the ball hit to me. I want to make plays. I want to show them that I can play there every day."

 

Don't ever lose the faith.

 

Dykstra hasn't. He insists. He promises.

 

But he easily could have — maybe even should have — following a forgettable 2009 that saw the unraveling of a baseball player as he was coping with the unraveling of a family.

 

His father, former big league star and supposed investment guru Lenny Dykstra, found himself the subject of a seemingly endless string of unsavory headlines that included fraud, lawsuits, bankruptcy and divorce.

 

Meanwhile the younger Dykstra, now 20, opened the season with the Rattlers but scuffled in 29 games, hitting just .212 with a homer and seven RBI before being reassigned to rookie level Helena (Mont.).

 

This was a kid who was plucked by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the 2008 draft and entered the year rated by Baseball America as the seventh-best prospect in the Crew's system.

 

A return to rookie ball only added more grime to a tarnished season after he hit .244 with five homers and 26 RBI in 61 games at Helena while at the same time working on a position switch from the outfield to second base.

 

Dykstra tried to shrug it off but admitted the tenuousness of his family situation undermined his on-field performance.

 

"It did a little bit," he said. "But I'm a strong kid … That's in the past. It's my career. I'm worrying about myself right now. I'm ready to play my game and not let that stuff bother me. And it won't."

 

Rattlers manager Jeff Isom can't help but wonder what might have been had Dykstra been free from the incessant off-field worry.

 

"I'm 38 years old, and when you've got something going on in your personal life, it's hard to focus,'' he said. "And I feel like I'm a mature individual. But when you're talking about an 18-, 19-year-old kid who's trying to get his foot in the door in professional baseball, trying to get off to a good start, then you throw in all kinds of other things – yeah, it's going to be hard to focus on what you're trying to get done out there on the field.

 

"Baseball, if you lack any kind of focus out there, you're probably going to get beat. And when you throw all those things that are just accumulating on his shoulders, the outside pressure, that's pretty tough to have success.

 

"From what I'm hearing, he's got things under control in his life, and I think he and his dad are having conversations now. They're talking. His dad's in his life. So now he can concentrate on baseball."

 

Dykstra said he and his dad chat almost daily and have a tight relationship.

 

"I'm not worried about him," he said. "He'll get out of whatever he (needs to) get out of. The way he played, that's the way he is in life. He'll do whatever it takes. He told me to just go out and play. That's all you can do. Just play the game right."

 

He doesn't care what has or will be written about his family situation. He doesn't care who says what on TV. And he doesn't feel it's anyone's business to know anything about the fate of his $737,000 signing bonus.

 

The blinders are on.

 

"It doesn't matter," said Dykstra, no longer considered a top-30 prospect. "What matters is the numbers you put up and the way you play. If you put up numbers, the cream always rises to the top. …

 

"I've had numerous people come up to me and tell me a weaker person would have collapsed in my situation. We're all strong. We're all fine. We're all tight. We're getting through it. It's part of life. A little bump in the road. But it's all good."

 

As is his outlook.

 

Dykstra was assigned to Wisconsin on Monday when infielder Joey Paciorek was placed on the disabled list with a hand injury.

 

So with his primary focus no longer on family, he's determined to make the most of this second chance. To chase – finally – his dream.

 

"He's an athlete," said Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash, who attended Wednesday's games. "He's got a lot of athletic skills, and it's just now a matter of trying to get himself focused and concentrating on the task at hand."

 

No worries, there.

 

"After that last game last season, I said, 'OK, I'm going on a mission,' " said Dykstra, who tripled and had three hits in the doubleheader. "I'm going to go home, I'm going to bust it, no one's going to work harder than me. I'm going to come in to spring training, and I'm going to show them that I'm ready to play a full season at second base and have an all-star season. …

 

"I'm ready to help the team win. And that's the way I play. I'm a winning player. I play the game off the scoreboard, and I'm going to do everything you can do to win. Fight, scratch — whatever."

 

Cutter Dykstra of the Timber Rattlers bats against the River Bandits in Grand Chute on Wednesday. (Post-Crescent photo by Patrick Ferron)

 

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20100506&Category=APC021102&ArtNo=5060665&Ref=AR&Profile=1019&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

[battlekow]

Apparently 3B Wayne Dedrick had knee surgery at some point; this hometown article about his brother claims that Wayne might be assigned to Wisconsin when he recovers.

[TheCrew07]

Brewers pitching prospect gets head back in game

Tom Haudricourt/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

 

Grand Chute — Eric Arnett had no control over the scary storm

front that set off tornado sirens Tuesday night outside of Fox Cities

Stadium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Arnett could

control were the black clouds swirling around in his head.

Did anyone else go and read the comments on this feature on JS Online? Comparing his stuff to Suppan is such a joke I don't even know where to start, and I don't know why I always read those comments out of morbid curiosity.

[pete]

JSonline, talk radio or some of the stuff i read here - its not all that different. I think the idea that Macha has some hatred for prospects or just isn't smart enough to know when to play them is pretty out there.

[battlekow]

Tough as nails: Brewers prospect Dykstra persevering

Tom Haudricourt/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Grand Chute — It often is said that the true measure of a man

is how he reacts to adversity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cutter Dykstra is

being measured in every way possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then some.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"My toughness was

challenged a little bit," conceded Dykstra, now playing second base for

the Milwaukee Brewers' Class A Wisconsin affiliate. "People have told

me a weaker person would have collapsed."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imagine being 19

years old - the age at which Dykstra played half of the 2009 season -

and having your personal and professional problems play out in the

public eye. When selected in the second round of the 2008 June draft out

of Westlake (Calif.) High School, Dykstra seemed to have the world by

the tail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At that juncture,

being the son of former big-leaguer Lenny Dykstra was considered a good

thing. That perception quickly changed with revelations that the elder

Dykstra made an absolute mess of his finances and marriage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The active

manager of a healthy stock portfolio and owner of several successful

businesses a few years ago, Lenny Dykstra became too ambitious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

His $17.5 million

purchase of hockey great Wayne Gretzky's mansion in Thousand Oaks,

Calif., turned into a boondoggle that drained the family's cash

reserves. Dykstra eventually sued financial institutions for providing

loans that he claims they knew he couldn't afford.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Around the same

time, Dykstra sank money into a venture involving a high-end jet charter

company and the accompanying financial magazine, Players Club, catering

to professional athletes. That business quickly went belly up, and one

month after his son was drafted by the Brewers, Dykstra filed for

Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beyond losing his

home and considerable savings, Dykstra also lost his wife, Terri, who

filed for divorce. The hits kept coming when his name surfaced in

baseball's infamous Mitchell Report, cited among a host of alleged users

of performance-enhancing drugs while in the major leagues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dykstra's

travails were the subject of a segment last summer on HBO's "Real

Sports." Correspondent Bernard Goldberg visited Dykstra at his since

foreclosed mansion, which was almost devoid of furniture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The former

all-star known as "Nails" appeared completely delusional about his

financial standing. At one point, Dykstra pulled out a wad of $100 bills

to prove to Goldberg that he wasn't penniless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Understandably,

Cutter Dykstra couldn't bring himself to watch that eye-opening exposé.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I heard about

it, but I couldn't watch it," Cutter said. "My dad is going through some

tough times, but if you ask him, he's doing fine. He's a battler.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"He's an awesome

person, especially for me. If there's anybody I want to talk to about

the game, it's him. He was one of the smartest players in baseball.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I still talk to

my mom and dad every day. They're both there for me. They're apart now.

It was some tough times, but that's part of life."

 

 

 

 

 

 

As if the family

turmoil weren't enough, Cutter watched his budding professional career

get turned upside down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The picture

seemed rosy in 2008 when he batted .271 with five homers and 17 RBI in

38 games with the Brewers' rookie club in Helena, earning notice as the

No.?2 prospect in the Pioneer League.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 2009 season

was a different story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Promoted to

Wisconsin in the low Class A Midwest League, Dykstra struggled mightily,

batting .212 in 29 games with 27 strikeouts in 99 at-bats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Worse yet, it

became evident that Dykstra was a duck out of water in center field. A

shortstop in high school until moving to center as a senior, Dykstra was

pegged by the Brewers as a sparkplug at that position, much as his

father was during his playing days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The decision was

made to move Dykstra to second base, so the Brewers rebooted and sent

him back to Helena to learn that position and regain confidence at the

plate. In 61 games there, he batted .244 with five homers and 26 RBI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"When they

drafted me, they wanted to try me out in center field," said the

5-foot-11, 175-pound Dykstra, who, unlike his father, is a right-handed

hitter. "I think I could have played there and got better at it. But I

think going to second base is best for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It was tough

last year. I made a midseason change and worked at it. I busted my butt

the whole off-season working at it, and I came to spring training and

showed them I could do it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It's night and

day from last year. I'm full of confidence at second base. I want the

ball hit to me. I want to make plays and show them I can play there

every day. I think I can play in the big leagues as a second baseman."

 

 

 

 

 

 

The odds are not

in Dykstra's favor, however, at least not with the Brewers. Beyond being

committed to Rickie Weeks at the big-league level, the Brewers like

Class AAA Nashville second baseman Eric Farris and have one of their top

prospects, Brett Lawrie, playing that position at Class AA Huntsville.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But there's no

reason to look that far down the road at this point. In essence, Dykstra

fell off the organizational map last year and needs to re-establish his

status as a prospect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kept in extended

spring training to continue working at second base, Dykstra probably was

ticketed for more time in rookie ball until an injury opened a spot on

the roster of the Timber Rattlers, who will play Friday night against

Cedar Rapids at Miller Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I'm not sure

what the plan was," Dykstra said. "They wanted me to get the work in.

Now I'm ready to play a full season and play every day. I feel great

now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I look at myself

as a blue-collar-type player. It doesn't matter where they send me. I'm

going to be a winning player. I look at baseball as the entertainment

business. I like to put on a show for fans. I want them to pay to come

watch how I play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I'll do whatever

I can to help the team win. I'll fight, I'll scratch, do whatever. Last

year was a tough year. After the last game of the season, I said to

myself, 'I don't want another year like that again. I'm going to set my

mind every day of the off-season to be a player and show them I can hit,

that I can be an all-star player.'?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brewers scouting

director Bruce Seid, who knows the Dykstra family well after being

formerly based in California, understands the personal hell that Cutter

has endured. But Seid watched the young man refuse to crack under

pressure and still has hope that he'll fulfill his potential.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"He has had some

adversity, and it has been public adversity," Seid said. "We know the

family. It's a good family. It's unfortunate what happened. Lenny has

always been a nice guy to us. He's a tremendously smart individual. I'm

betting on Lenny Dykstra when all is said and done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Cutter knows

what he has to do to get back on track and be successful. Now it's up to

him to do it. I believe he's going to give it the best effort he can.

You can see in his eyes he still has the passion and desire to make it. I

haven't given up on him one bit."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most important,

Dykstra hasn't given up on himself. Considering the turmoil he has lived

through at such a young age, it would have been easy to become negative

and develop a sour outlook on life in general.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instead, everyone

who knows Dykstra says he remains a great kid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"He has had a lot

of different things thrown at him in terms of challenges," said Corey

Rodriguez, the Brewers' West Coast scouting cross-checker who signed

Dykstra and speaks with him frequently via telephone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"He has a lot of

determination. I think his focus is sharper now. He knows he's got work

to do to re-establish himself as a prospect. He's not a pouter. He's a

positive kid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"He has all the

makings of a fighter who can work out of this. But it's going to take

time. He'll give himself the best chance to get back. I wouldn't count

him out. Everybody who knows him is rooting for him."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lenny Dykstra was

a fighter, a scrapper who did whatever it took on the field to succeed.

By all appearances, his son has those same qualities. If those baseball

genes rub off in a good way, Cutter said he will be thankful to have

Lenny Dykstra as a father, not ashamed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"People ask me if

I feel nervous with the name 'Dykstra' on the back of my uniform,"

Cutter said. "I say, 'No.' I say I'm here to show I can be a player.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Whatever happens

off the field, I'll have to deal with it. I'm here to make it to the

big leagues, make a career out of it. I play the game right, like my dad

did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I'm a grinder,

just like my dad was.?.?.?.?

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I've been

tested, but it's a new year. I'm swinging the bat as good as I can swing

it. I'm playing awesome at second base. I'm here to play baseball. My

spirit is not broken."

http://media.jsonline.com/images/rattlers25-mjs-rattlers25_-spt_-lynn_-1.jpg

[battlekow]

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers starter Eric Arnett does well in rain-shortened outing against Quad Cities River Bandits

Brett Christopherson/Appleton Post-Crescent

GRAND CHUTE — The gloomy clouds that hovered over Wisconsin Timber

Rattlers pitcher Eric Arnett through his previous four outings finally

cleared on Tuesday.

Then came the rain.

"That's kind of just bad luck to finally

get a good start, get back on track and the rain cuts us short," the

right-hander said after storms suspended the Rattlers' Midwest League

game against Quad Cities at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities

Stadium. "But it was good to get out there, at least, and just get back

on track to where I was in the past and just keep that rolling here on

out."

The 22-year-old, rated as one of the top prospects in the

Milwaukee Brewers minor-league system, was in the midst of his best

outing of the season when Mother Nature intervened.

He struck out

three, walked none, allowed only a second-inning single and needed just

30 pitches in facing the minimum through three innings.

Arnett had

been knocked around in his past four starts and entered Tuesday's game,

which will resume today at 11 a.m., looking to deflate an 11.25 ERA and

having surrendered four homers and 23 hits through 16 innings.

So

what spurred the turnaround? Conversations with folks like Rattlers

pitching coach Chris Hook, Arnett's agent and even the scout who signed

him, all passing along the same message.

"They said you've just

got to go out with that mentality, just that fire-in-your-eye mentality,

that you're-better-than-everyone mentality," said Arnett, the Brewers'

2009 first-round draft pick.

Arnett admitted to trying to be "too

perfect" with his pitches. He attacked the River Bandits by commanding a

low-90s fastball with a biting slider and an effective changeup that

helped him get ahead of hitters and establish a quick pace.

"When

he gets ahead with his fastball and he continues to pound it, he's

going to have success," Rattlers manager Jeff Isom said. "We also saw a

few changeups and sliders that were above average, and that's obviously

what Milwaukee saw when they drafted him No. 1. … He's a great arm."

[TheCrew07]

linkwhile active, text follows

 

Gennett Looking Like a Prospect

Brett Christopherson/Appleton Post-Crescent

 

Here's Scooter Gennett's bio entry in the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 2010 Media Guide:

 

PERSONAL:

Graduated from Sarasota (FL) High School. ... participated in the 2008

Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic at Dodger Stadium. ...

committed to play baseball at Florida State University before signing

with the Brewers. ... Ryan (Scooter) J. Gennett.

 

That's it.

 

Here's what you can add today:

 

Has the third-highest batting average (.352) in the Midwest League as of Friday, May 7.

 

That's right.

Gennett

-- selected by the Crew in the 16th round of the 2009 draft -- has gone

from being a diamond in the rough into a potential gem of a

prospect through the first month of the season. Yes, it's still very

early (cliche alert!), but what the kid has accomplished thus far has

been impressive, especially when you consider he only turned 20 this

past Saturday and entered the season without a professional at-bat.

 

http://sitelife.postcrescent.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/13/0/2da7bc6b-b703-4ca9-a0da-1b0493764515.Large.jpg

Rattlers infielder Scooter Gennett

The Post-Crescent photo by Wm. Glasheen

 

He

headed into Friday's Miller Park game against Cedar Rapids hitting .435

(10-of-23) over his previous five contests. And in 91 at-bats spanning

his first 25 games, Gennett had produced 11 doubles, a homer, 17 RBI,

22 runs scored and a .505 slugging percentage.

 

Decent pop from a 5-foot-9, 165-pound frame, wouldn't you agree?

 

Gennett has also shown an improving glove, good range and a strong arm from the middle infield spots.

 

And

he even displayed some healthy nerve when he used his bat to draw a

line in the dirt following a called third strike during a game earlier

in the year. It was his way of showing the ump he felt the pitch was

well off the plate without uttering a word.

 

Of course, the kid

was tossed, and Rattlers manager Jeff Isom frowned on the incident

afterward. But a tinge of cockiness from time to time isn't necessarily

a bad thing.

 

Gennett's name doesn't appear on Baseball America's list of the Brewers' top minor league prospects.

 

It will next year if he keeps doing what he's doing.

 

Kudos to Brewers scout Tim McIlvaine for finding him -- and signing him

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Timber Rattlers hitting coach Matt Erickson's memories are players' dreams

Cory Jennerjohn, Appleton Post-Crescent

Remember when your grandpa would hoist you up on his lap and start telling you stories from his past?

 

Matt Erickson may not have an AARP card yet, but that didn't stop the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers hitting coach from letting the youngsters know about the team he used to play for as they toured the $400 million playpen that awaits the fortunate few.

 

"We went through the home clubhouse and I had a couple guys ask me, 'Where's your locker,' " said Erickson, who played four games for the Brewers. "So I got to show them that. Casey McGehee's in it right now. I'd like to let Casey know that he's in my locker."

 

The Timber Rattlers lost to Cedar Rapids 6-1 on Friday in Wisconsin's fourth game at Miller Park dating back to 2003.

 

Wisconsin may be in low A, but the Crew laid down the red carpet for these kids. After batting practice, hot-hitting catcher Cameron Garfield was munching on the Wisconsin tradition of cheese and sausage, while third baseman Peter Fatse opted for the more exotic pineapple and pretzels.

 

"I don't think I need any more motivation than I already have," said Garfield, who is batting .429 in his last seven games. "I mean, you're trying to get through the minor leagues. It's not the best environment you want to be in always — the bus rides and taking long trips — but any more motivation to get, this is definitely it."

 

The one thing that Fatse couldn't get over was the army of staff members at the ready in the clubhouse.

 

"There's one for every three players," he said. "Every time you turn around, someone is willing to lend a helping hand."

 

The story of Erickson getting called up to the show on July 9, 2004, came up in the trainer's room.

 

"My first at-bat here was against Aaron Harang," said Erickson, who got his only big-league hit off future Hall-of-Famer Greg Maddux. "I pinch hit in the ninth and a 2-1 slider — I remember like it was yesterday. It was out over the plate and I took a big swing on it and my top hand slipped off the bat a little bit and I heard a pop in my shoulder and, sure enough, I sprained my AC joint. The next day, the second day I'm in the big leagues, I'm getting a cortisone shot for my shoulder."

 

When the Rattlers came back for their pregame warm-up, they were adorned in their Sunday baby-blue jerseys, which are a nod to the Milwaukee glory days of the late '70s and early '80s. And every so often, a player or two would turn around and take a peek at the retired numbers of Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Rollie Fingers, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and Bob Uecker's 50 years in baseball that adorn the upper facade.

 

"Everywhere you go, you go to the cages, even in this locker room, you think of all the great players in the NL and AL that are here from day to day," Fatse said. "It's pretty crazy to think that we're just hanging out here and we got our own special day here."

 

Fans may not have seen Prince Fielder or Ryan Braun, but there was a sausage race, and "Roll Out The Barrel" was blared throughout the park. So, just how big did the whole experience make the eyes of these young pups?

 

"As big as mine," Timber Rattlers manager Jeff Isom said. "This is my second time here, and what a great experience for these guys. There will be a handful of guys that end up making it in the long run, playing here at Miller Park and having good careers. And there's other guys, unfortunately it's business, they won't make it, but this is one day they'll remember for the rest of their lives."

 

Not one player made their way to Erickson's lap, but they appreciated every word that came out of the former big leaguer's mouth.

 

"He's only a couple years removed from playing, so the fact that he can relate to what we're going through and to be in a big league park where he got to play, that's pretty special," Fatse said.

[battlekow]

Timber Rattlers soak up big game atmosphere

Andrew Wagner/OnMilwaukee.com

 

On a tour of Miller Park Friday, members of the Wisconsin Timber

Rattlers, the Brewers' Class A minor league affiliate, got a chance to

see everything.

 

 

They walked through the Brewers' spacious clubhouse, saw the weight room

and training room, they checked out the batting cages ... all the

creature comforts that are afforded to players able to advance from the

cramped clubhouses and endless bus trips of minor league baseball into

"the Show."

 

 

"You can take a tour of our stadium - which is a nice park - and it will

take you all of five minutes," Timber Rattlers manager Jeff Isom said.

"We come here and took 45 minutes and saw maybe a tenth of what is going

on."

But of all the amenities the Rattlers enjoyed, nothing - not even the

post-game spread of delicious ribs - could compare to Miller Park's

featured attraction ... the massive, convertible roof towering over the

stadium.

 

 

Weather in Milwaukee was downright awful on Friday, with cool

temperatures and a steady rain throughout the day. On any other day in

the Midwest League, the players would have been sitting in their spartan

locker room, playing cards and wondering whether or not a game would be

played.

 

 

Not Friday. On Friday, the Timber Rattlers got a taste of big league

baseball.

 

 

"It's pretty cool," said right-handed pitcher Eric Arnett, the Brewers'

first-round draft choice a year ago. "To come to the park and know that

you're going to play today ... it's awesome."

 

 

Arnett is one of the Brewers' most highly-touted prospects; a power

pitcher out of Indiana University, one whom the Brewers hope will

advance quickly through the organization and start helping the big

league team in the next few seasons.

 

 

He didn't pitch in Friday's game and hasn't gotten off to a good start

this season, but admits that dressing and preparing for a game at Miller

Park was a pretty big motivator - a general consensus in the clubhouse.

 

 

"They're kind of throwing in our face, what we're all working for and

what we want to accomplish," said infielder Cutter Dykstra, making his

second Miller Park experience with the Timber Rattlers. "It kind of

gives us extra motivation to do what we have to do to get here."

 

 

Isom, who spent three years playing Class A ball in the Pirates and

Padres organizations, agreed, but also knows that in the long run, only a

few of his players will get to the majors.

 

 

"They get to see how they will get treated once they get here," Isom

said. " In the big picture, this is ultimately where they want to come

and play and they get a chance to say 'wow, this is what it's all

about.'

 

 

"There will be a handful of players that do make it and someday will

play at Miller Park and there are a few who won't. It's part of the

business. For those guys, it's going to be a night they remember for the

rest of their lives."

 

 

Dykstra and Isom were both on their second trip to Miller Park, but

nobody has better memories than hitting coach Matt Erickson. The

Appleton native spent two seasons in the Brewers organization and was

called to the big leagues midway through the 2004 season.

 

 

His debut came on July 9, when he went hitless in a pinch-hit at-bat

during a 3-0 loss to Cincinnati. He would get his first and only major

league start on July 17. His only big league hit came that day, a single

off future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux in a 5-0 loss to the Cubs at

Wrigley Field.

 

 

During the team's tour of the Brewers' locker room, players asked

Erickson which locker was his. He pointed to his old dressing area.

 

 

"Casey McGehee's in it right now," Erickson said. "I'd like to let Casey

know that he's in my locker."

 

 

On the field, the game wasn't as memorable as the experience; the

Rattlers dropped a 6-1 decision to Cedar Rapids, despite a solid outing

from starting pitchers Damon Krestalude. But with the Saturday weather

forecast calling for a chance of snow in Appleton, it was understandable

that the team joked about playing two Friday.

 

[battlekow]

Scooting along

Tom Haudricourt/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Fans of the Brewers' Class A Wisconsin affiliate have been having fun

watching shortstop Scooter Gennett. Entering Saturday, Gennett

was batting .358 through 26 games with 12 doubles, 17 RBI and a .434

on-base percentage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not bad for a

16th round draft pick in '09 who was playing for Sarasota (Fla.) High

School at this time a year ago. All of 5-9 and 160 pounds, Gennett was

slated to play rookie ball this season but performed so well in spring

camp he was assigned to the Timber Rattlers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I was fortunate

they gave me an opportunity and believed I would swing the bat," said

Gennett, who signed too late last summer to begin his pro career.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I feel

comfortable. I'm trying to hit line drives. That's my job. I'm not going

to be a big power hitter."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wisconsin manager

Jeff Isom believes Gennett, who turned 20 on May 1, might

profile as a second baseman down the road. But roving infield instructor

Garth Iorg hopes he stays at short as long as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"He's playing

shortstop; it's too early to tell if he'll stay there," said Iorg. "He's

a young kid. I hate taking people away from shortstop because they're

so hard to find.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"He's got a big

arm. He moves around the field OK. Scooter's a prospect. He's not a big

guy but he can flat-out hit."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gennett, whose

proper first name is Ryan, dropped down draft boards last June after

struggling offensively while pressing to lift an inexperienced team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accordingly, the

Brewers might have gotten a real steal in the 16th round.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I signed too

late to play last year so I was definitely ready to get on the field,"

said Gennett, who turned down a scholarship with Florida State to sign

with the Brewers for an above-slot $260,000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I hit the ball

well in spring training and I guess I showed them enough to play here.

It's been great. The fans in Appleton have been very supportive. I feel

comfortable here."

[Mass Haas]

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Rattlers player profile: Maverick Lasker

Compiled by Post-Crescent staff writer Brett Christopherson

 

Bio

 

- Age: 20.

- Position: Pitcher.

- Bats/throws: Right/right.

- Height, weight: 6-2, 190.

- Residence: Phoenix.

- Glove: Easton, Professional Series.

 

- Notes: Selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth round of the 2008 June draft. ... Combined to go 6-2 with 43 K's and a 3.54 ERA in 15 appearances last season at rookie level Arizona and Wisconsin. ... Made two starts for the Rattlers a year ago after a late-season call-up. ... Played in the Arizona 4A-I state championship game as a senior. ... Rated by Baseball America as the 30th best prospect in the Brewers' minor-league system.

 

Favorites

 

- MLB team growing up: Arizona Diamondbacks.

- MLB player growing up: Alex Rodriguez. "I was an infielder; played third base when I was in high school."

- MLB player now: Roy Halladay. "He's just a dominant pitcher. Every time he goes out, it's a quality start."

- Brewers player: Yovani Gallardo.

- Food: Chinese — orange chicken and rice.

- Type of music: Hip hop and country.

- Social media platform: Facebook.

- Video game: "Call of Duty."

- Thing about Appleton: "The fans out here are amazing. We're getting more now that it's getting warmer, but they're coming out all the time."

- Pitch: Curveball. "It's my 'out' pitch."

 

Q&A

 

Q: Let's get this out of the way. Is Maverick your real name? And if so, any connection to the movie "Top Gun?"

 

A: Yeah. My parents just liked the name from the movie, I guess. They're not really big "Top Gun" fans. They just saw the name, liked it and stuck with it.

 

Q: Have your friends ever razzed you with quotes from the movie?

 

A: (Smiling) Yeah, "Where's Goose at?" Stuff like that. I hear that a lot.

 

Q: When did you first realize you were good enough to have a shot at pro ball?

 

A: Probably once the scouts started showing up to my house and really talked to me. It was my senior year in high school. I always dreamed of it as a kid, but it really sunk in (then) that I could actually do it.

 

Q: What do you remember about draft day?

 

A: The night before, I actually spoke to Kevin Clouser, the Brewers' scout, and he talked about fourth or fifth round, and I was happy with that. The next morning, I woke up early for the draft, watched TV for the whole first round. And then after the first round, we were on the Internet, so we just watched the computer, waiting for my name to be called.

 

Q: Who made the call saying the Brewers were going to pick you? And can you still remember what was said?

 

A: Kevin Clouser called me, right before the fifth round. He goes, "Fifth round is coming up. You're going to be our next pick. You gonna sign or not?" I was like, "I'm signing. Count me in."

 

Q: You had a scholarship offer to play college ball at San Diego State but instead opted to sign with the Brewers. Tough choice?

 

A: It was pretty easy, actually. I loved going to school and I was a pretty smart kid — good student. But I just wanted to play baseball.

 

Q: Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn is the head coach at San Diego State. Think you could have struck him out?

 

A: (Laughing) I could — now.

 

Q: You missed the 2008 season with a muscle strain in your back. What happened?

 

A: After I signed, I just started getting a sore back. I didn't know what it was. And then I got an MRI and an X-ray, too, and it came back that I had a stress fracture in my vertebrae. So they gave me a cortisone shot, and all the inflammation and the swelling went down. I was getting nerve pain in my legs, and all of that went away after the cortisone shot. As long as I stay flexible and have a strong core, I'll be fine for the rest of my life. I don't know (how it happened). Maybe just from repetition, because I was swinging (the bat) a lot in high school.

 

Q: How would you assess your professional career so far?

 

A: I'd say pretty well. Last year, I had a really good season, made the (Arizona League) all-star team. This year, it hasn't really gotten off to the start I wanted to, but it's shaping up now. I'm working on some things.

 

Q: Working on what?

 

A: Mechanical things. Getting my timing, and stuff like that. Getting my hand in the right slot so I can start throwing more strikes.

 

Q: The goal is to get to Miller Park. What's it going to take for you to make that tough climb?

 

A: I would say the biggest difference between big leaguers and minor leaguers is the mental part of the game. You've got to stay mentally focused 162 games out of the year. Everyone's got the talent now, but if you can stay mentally focused, you'll be good. … It's crazy. This (first) month has already flown by. Playing every single day, your body gets tired. But you just try to come ready to play every single day.

 

Q: What do you like most about this Rattlers team?

 

A: All of us are cool with each other. We jell together really well. We haven't really been winning that much, but I think we've got it in us that we can win.

 

Q: Have any guilty pleasures?

 

A: I have to have my protein shake every day, before I go to bed. I can't sleep unless I have a full stomach, for some reason. I mix (the flavors) up. Chocolate. Cookies and cream sometimes.

 

Q: Finally, you're a Phoenix kid. Is it really just a dry heat?

 

A: Yeah. … (The hottest I can remember it being is) probably 121 (degrees). You don't even go outside. You can't — for over an hour, at least.

The tool box

 

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook breaks down Maverick Lasker's skills:

- Fastball velocity: Anywhere from 87 to 91 (mph), probably sits at 88, 89. Four-seam, two-seam. We're looking for some more sink — he's got some run, but he doesn't get a lot of sink. We grade them out where 87, 88 would be a mid-average fastball in the big leagues. I think he can be an average guy. We're working on some delivery issues to get his bottom half more involved. But he has a mid-average/average fastball based on a big-league grade.

 

- Off-speed pitches: We have now established that he's throwing a curveball, not a slurve, and a changeup. His curveball is improving — showing some better depth and spin. It's come a long way.

 

- Overall command: I think he has pretty decent command. He has a good idea of what he's doing with his fastball the majority of the time. His four-seam has got really decent command, and his two-seam, he's kind of in and out with that. (His changeup) is what he really wanted to go to (in his last outing) because he's good with it.

 

- Movement: The movement on his fastball, I don't think it's fantastic, but it's OK. I think he can get better. But those are the things he's working on, to get those things a little sharper.

 

- All-around: He's got "pitchability." … Throws all pitches for strikes. He's one of our better competitors. You get him on the mound, he usually gives you a pretty good game. He's one of those guys who wants to make the big pitch when the time comes. He came up last year, and we were really impressed with him. He went after people. He's an athlete, and I think he makes good baseball decisions when he's on the mound as far as fielding his position and all those types of things. He's probably our best all-around athlete and just does baseball things well.

[Mass Haas]

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Putting The Gridiron Behind Him

Bob Brainerd, foxsportswisconsin.com

 

You keep hearing the same buzz words whenever you bring up Wisconsin Timber Rattlers outfielder D'Vontrey Richardson.

 

Raw talent.

 

Sky's-the-limit potential.

 

High ceiling.

 

Stud.

 

Richardson is all of the above, and a chiseled athlete more than anything else. Not only was Richardson, the Brewers 5th round draft selection in 2009, a shining star outfielder at Florida State, he was also a quarterback for the Seminoles.

 

All that ability got their attention back in Milwaukee.

 

"I know (Brewers Director of Amateur Scouting) Bruce Seid and the people in the draft decided we need to be more athletic," said Jeff Isom, who manages the Brewers Class A team. "Well, what a great guy to go get. The kind of the prototypical player if you're talking about athleticism. An unbelievable build, strong kid, he works hard in the weight room."

 

"We've got some things to work on, no question, but there's a lot of upside to him."

 

Richardson successfully juggled his collegiate career on the gridiron and the diamond. With the blessing of his football coach Bobby Bowden, D'Vontrey skipped football offseason workouts and spring practice to keep sharp at his other athletic gift.

 

"My love for the game changes with the season, no matter which one I was playing, I just wanted to compete," Richardson told me."Baseball is fun, but as far as atmosphere, all the fans at a football game, that's something else."

 

Richardson maximized his God-given talent to become a backup quarterback with the Seminoles. A Shotgun style signal caller, Richardson would sit back in the pocket, survey the field, then take off. There were plays drawn up as designed runs specifically for him; his speed too vital to waste. Shifting gears back to baseball was the easy part. But dialing it down, took some doing.

 

"The hardest thing was it's football season and (then) you go to baseball -- football is all tense and everything, baseball is so relaxed. I had to try to learn how to relax," said Richardson.

 

His whirlwind between the two sports never took a turn in one direction until his senior season. Richardson was drafted in the 35th round by Washington in 2006, but went to Florida State instead, where he could play both sports. He sat out his freshman season of football, but made an impact for baseball coach Mike Martin, who once called Richardson a legit five-tool guy.

 

Academic issues sat the two-sport star down for baseball the following season, but he was able to play and excel on the football field. One calendar year later, Richardson came up listed second on the depth chart at quarterback, so he shifted over to defense, and returned baseball back to the fold.

 

"It just kind of happened," Richardson said about his decision to re-focus on baseball. "My last season at Florida State, I was kind of leaning towards it. But I was hoping to get a shot at football. It didn't happen."

 

What did happen next, made football a memory.

 

Baseball in Appleton, Wisconsin is Richardson's first stop at the professional level. He signed late after being drafted, so didn't receive the immediate exposure necessary to begin his hopeful climb up the Brewers food chain.

 

"He's very raw in talent and there are a lot of things that when we see something, we'll make an adjustment to it, and he takes to it right away," said Isom. "Things aren't really ingrained in his head on how to do certain things, so that's the fun part about him. We're kind of molding him the way he needs to be molded. Everything is fairly new to him."

 

Example one. Never a leadoff hitter in college, Richardson has been placed at the top of the Timber Rattlers lineup card to utilize those speedy wheels. For the teacher and the pupil, kick starting the top of the order could be a fit for the future.

 

"Base running, that's something that he's not comfortable with yet," said Isom. "He's been picked off a couple times. There are things that we'll see sliding back to first base that we'll be working on real hard. And there are a lot of things that we see on the offensive side. His pitch selection, number one, making sure he's getting strikes he's swinging at."

 

"I'm learning," said Richardson. "When I get out swinging at the first pitch, my teammates tell me I've gotta take that first pitch and help the ballclub out. I'm learning my base running and how to deal with that, along with outfield work."

 

"At the plate, I've got to learn to relax, because it's a relaxing game, and not get so tensed up like football."

 

Isom doesn't like to pooh-pooh the mistakes, but he is also allowing some leeway because Richardson is somewhat of a construction zone. And the men at work have only just begun to make inroads.

 

"Things come up in the game, just the little minor things throughout the game that he hasn't been exposed to a lot, and we say 'wow, we need to work on that' and he is making the necessary adjustments," said Isom.

 

Already, Richardson has absorbed a piece of info that is tough to fathom -- it doesn't seem right to an all-out athlete with a high motor, no matter the sport.

 

"I feel like I go 100% on everything when I really don't have to," Richardson said sheepishly. "I can slow down on certain things."

 

That mindset got the attention of Baseball America, touting Richardson as the best athlete in the Brewers system.

 

At any level.

 

Flat out.

 

Period.

 

"It's fun when you have a guy like that, a Bo Jackson-type body," beamed Isom. "He's going to have the ability to hit for power, for a high average at some point. He's an amazing athlete, no question about that."

 

Obviously, the Brewers, when they drafted him, saw that. The ceiling is very high for this kid.

 

Brewers fans should index file the name, D'Vontrey D'Wayne Richardson. Even if you're a bit skittish on how to address this talented outfielder, just take the advice Richardson is receiving to begin his professional baseball odyssey. Relax and keep it simple.

 

"A lot of people mess it up, don't know how to pronounce it," said Richardson. So I just keep it simple, and go with D'Vo."

[Mass Haas]

Brett Christopherson's blog post takes a look at the seven Baseball America Top 30 prospects on the Timber Rattlers and surmises --

 

Just a hunch, but I'm guessing Milwaukee's player development staff was expecting better results as it constructed this year's roster -- particularly within a pitching staff that's supposed to be a strength but instead carried a league-worst 5.06 ERA into today's game at Quad Cities.

[battlekow]

Baseball America's Matt Eddy notes that the Rattlers are tied for the third-worst record in the minors.