Your 2010 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

[battlekow]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Timber Rattlers profile: Del Howell

Compiled by Post-Crescent staff writer Brett Christopherson

Del Howell file

- Age: 22.

- Position: Pitcher.

- Bats/throws: Left/left.

- Height, weight: 6-4, 200.

- Residence: Northport, Ala.

- Glove: Wilson A2K.

- Notes: Selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 15th round of the 2009 June draft. ... Was a two-way player at the University of Alabama, where he pitched and played the outfield. ... Named "Mr. Baseball" in 2006 by the Alabama Sports Writers Association after going 13-1 with a 0.18 ERA as a high school senior. ... Rated by Baseball America as the 22nd best prospect in the Brewers' minor league system.

 

Favorites

 

- MLB team growing up: Atlanta Braves.

- MLB player growing up: Randy Johnson.

- MLB player now: Andy Pettitte.

- Brewers player: Prince Fielder. "He plays hard."

- Sport other than baseball: Basketball.

- Food: Buffalo wings with hot sauce.

- Wisconsin food: "The brats with onions. That's the first time I've had them up here. It's good."

- Thing about Appleton: "Everything seems laid back, not too big. Kind of reminds me of Tuscaloosa (Ala.), or where I'm from."

 

Q&A

 

Q: Is Alabama really that crazy for its college football?

 

A: Big game in town. There will be people coming in on Wednesdays, setting up. It's unbelievable. The atmosphere on Saturday — there's more people outside of the stadium than there is in the stadium.

 

Q: Is Paul "Bear" Bryant still The Man in Tuscaloosa?

 

A: That's all they talk about. Maybe (Nick) Saban will get his name out before long, though.

 

Q: You really tossed back-to-back perfect games as a senior in high school?

 

A: State playoffs. That was just something you dream about and it actually comes true. It'll never happen again, probably. But to be able to do that … and my dad was one of the coaches, so that was fun to share that with him.

 

Q: How far into that second perfect game did you think you might have something special going on?

 

A: The second one, it was like the fifth or sixth inning, and a guy squared around to bunt on me. I hit him right in the chest, and I was like, 'No way, I just blew it.' But the umpires talked about it and said he didn't pull back, so it was a strike. I got lucky, there. I don't know how I got out of that one.

 

Q: You were drafted by the Yankees in the 18th round out of high school but didn't sign. Why not?

 

A: I was about to sign right before (college) started, but it didn't work out. It was fun to get drafted by the Yankees, but going to college, I grew up a lot. And I think that has helped me now, struggling at the beginning of the year. It helps you know how to get through that.

 

Q: Grew up how?

 

A: I think it's the first time you move out of the house, living on your own. You learn how to fight through struggles. Coming out of high school, I don't think I was ready for that because I had always been successful. Going to college, you had to learn that.

 

Q: You mentioned the early season struggles. Have you diagnosed the problem?

 

A: I think, at the beginning of the year, I was just kind of leaving the ball up. Everybody can hit here. But the last month or so, everything's starting to come together. I'm learning some new stuff, some new mechanics. It's fun.

 

Q: That's a big mental adjustment, isn't it? Realizing hitters at this level were pretty good themselves?

 

A: Yeah. You're playing with the best players on their team where they came from. It's fun — a lot more challenging. You've got to come out and play every day. Every team is good now. Every player is good.

 

Q: You nearly returned to Alabama for your senior season before deciding to sign with the Brewers. What was the deal there?

 

A: At the beginning of (my senior) year, I got mono the Thursday before the opening game on Friday. And I missed the first half of the year, so I think that kind of dropped me in the draft. But right towards the end, me and the Brewers were able to work something out.

 

Q: Pitcher and Brewers top pick Eric Arnett is your roommate. He, too, has struggled. Do you find yourselves trying to pull each other through the rough times?

 

A: Sometimes. But once you leave here, you try to get away from the game because you're here at 2 o'clock every day and don't leave till 10. But we room together on the road, so we kind of chat in the hotel room about stuff. Learn how to get through struggles together. … It gets rough because you're a thousand miles from home and all you can do is just call home. But you also learn to grow up here, too. It's life. It's business. You've got to learn how to get over it and get back on that stage and prepare.

 

Q: What's your biggest area of improvement as you look to advance levels and make the climb to the majors?

 

A: I'd say better command of the strike zone. Cut down on the walks. And get my pitch count down a little more.

 

Q: Finally, you have a strong southern accent. What do you think of the way the locals talk up here? Weird, huh?

 

A: (Laughing) Nah. I like it. But everybody says pop or soda for drinks. Never heard that before. I just call it Coke or Pepsi, Dr. Pepper — whatever it is.

 

The tool box

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook breaks down Del Howell's skills:

 

- Fastball velocity: He's an 87 (mph), 88 — tops out at 90. He'll throw two-seam and four-seam. … A large percentage of his fastballs should be sinker variety — two-seam.

 

- Off-speed pitches: Slider/change. Doesn't throw a curveball. The slider's kind of got nice tilt to it. Not real big, but something he's very comfortable with. That's one pitch he comes in with that he feels good with from college and has been his pitch. And then the changeup is something that he's starting to get very, very comfortable with and strides with that pitch, as well. Good pitch for him.

 

- Overall command: That's something he's improving on. The thing with Del that people don't realize, he hasn't pitched a whole lot. Last year at Alabama, he was sick most of the year. Never been a full-time pitcher. So here's this guy who comes in, he's a college guy and they expect these high expectations and he hasn't pitched a whole lot. So we're really getting him in a normal routine, he's starting to get comfortable now, and I think we're starting to see the fruits of that labor.

 

- Movement: That's going to be his strong suit. He's got average sink on that fastball right now, and I think he's just learning how to get it. So you're seeing this life and action out of a pitch where he'll throw a fastball right down the middle and they're swinging and missing. It's not just velocity. It's action. That's what we're really excited about, and I think as he gets more and more of an idea on how that pitch behaves, then he'll be able to command it a little better.

 

- Final thoughts: He had a lot of success at a D-I college and them comes in here and (struggles). But I think he has handled it very well. Most guys would be pouting, and he wanted to get better. We've worked very extensively for two weeks after he struggled, almost on a daily basis, just trying to get him comfortable. And a lot of times in this game, comfort leads to confidence.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers profile: No. 9 D'Vontrey Richardson, outfielder

Compiled by Post-Crescent staff writer Brett Christopherson

 

D'Vontrey Richardson file

 

- Age: 21.

- Position: Center field.

- Bats/throws: Right/right.

- Height, weight: 6-2, 215.

- Residence: Albany, Ga.

- Glove: Rawlings, PRO303-6

- Bat: Old Hickory C243, 33½ inches, 31½ ounces.

 

- Notes: Selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth round of the 2009 June draft. ... Attended Florida State, where he also played football as a backup quarterback. ... Threw for more than 2,200 yards and 27 TDs while also rushing for 1,050 yards and 17 TDs as a high school senior. ... Rated by Baseball America as the best athlete and the 18th best prospect in the Brewers' system.

 

Favorites

 

- MLB player growing up: Gary Sheffield.

- MLB player now: Manny Ramirez. "I like the way he hits."

- Brewers player: Prince Fielder.

- Sport other than baseball: Basketball.

- NBA player: Kobe Bryant. "I like how clutch he is."

- Food: Pork chops.

- Thing about Appleton: "The fans. We really haven't been playing the best baseball, and there are still a lot of fans coming to the game. They really support us, really support the Brewers organization."

- Way to relax: Video games.

- Video game(s): "Call of Duty" and "MLB The Show."

- TV show(s): "Smallville" and "30 Rock."

 

Q&A

 

Q: This is your first pro season at any level. How do you think things are going so far?

 

A: I don't think I'm doing that well offensively. But defensively, I'm getting better with my reads and just thinking ahead in the outfield and learning more what to do in certain situations. On the bases, I'm getting a little better. I got picked off a couple of times early, but I'm getting a little comfortable, so hopefully, I can get a lot better at base stealing. That will come with reps. Offensively, I'm trying to put too much pressure on myself. But with games, hopefully, I'll just calm down a little bit. So far, I think I'm just average.

 

Q: Has the adjustment to pro ball been tougher than you maybe first thought?

 

A: The only thing that's tough is you've got to be mentally tough in this game. Especially when you go out there and feel good and still go 0-for-four with three K's. You've just got to know everything's fine because if you don't trust in yourself, then you're going to do the exact same thing the next day. You'll just keep going 0-fer, 0-fer.

 

Q: You played three seasons of football and two seasons of baseball at Florida State. Why did you end up choosing baseball?

 

A: I just felt like my time was up (in football). Once I got (to Florida State), people were telling me to choose, and I didn't want to choose. I just wanted to give it three years and see what opportunities I had. The Brewers liked me, so I had the opportunity to take it, and I took it. Now, I'm trying to take advantage of it.

 

Q: Low grades prevented you from playing baseball your sophomore season with the Seminoles. What did you do to get back on the field?

 

A: I just studied more. I just had to put grades first. Had to make close to a 3.0, worked hard that semester and made a 2.8. And then I took summer classes. It was hard work. I just wish I could have been smarter and got the grades early instead of starting my first semester of my sophomore year before the baseball season slacking off a little bit. But you learn from it, from the experiences.

 

Q: Did you learn anything from playing football for Bobby Bowden?

 

A: He's a good guy. He was teaching us football things, but he also tried to teach us about the Bible — Christian ways. We had two pastors there, so he always made sure we were doing the right thing on the field and off the field.

 

Q: You set a Florida State record for the longest TD run by a quarterback, with a 55-yard dash against Chattanooga in 2008. That's kind of cool, huh? Especially considering you were a backup.

 

A: Yeah, it's all right. I was mad at the time because I was supposed to get in a little bit earlier. And when it was my time to go in, I wasn't really ready because I was a little frustrated. But (then-assistant) coach (Jimbo) Fisher pulled me out to the side, started getting in my face and telling me to snap out of it. So he called a play for me, and I took off. It was fun. No offense, but I wish it had been a bigger situation for that game, a clutch situation.

 

Q: Did you ever have any shot at being the 'Noles' starting quarterback?

 

A: I was going to move to free safety. When I got there, I was trying to change (positions) the whole time, because it was hard trying to learn the playbook and being over at baseball most of the time. So I was trying to move the whole time, but they wouldn't let me. But by the 10th, 11th time asking, they were finally going to let me move over.

 

Q: How fun would it have been to deliver the blows, instead of absorbing them?

 

A: I would have played the game mad, because I really wanted to play quarterback. That's kind of why I went to Florida State. But I didn't really get a true shot. So I would have been mad playing safety. I would have tried to hit.

 

Q: Was it challenging, playing two sports at the major college level?

 

A: The challenge was just staying on top of my grades, which I wasn't really doing. But it wasn't tough on my body or anything. The offseason is the toughest, especially in football with all the weights and hard work. But right after the football season, I started baseball season, which was fun.

Q: Finally, do you envision yourself being the Brewers' starting center fielder four or five years down the line?

 

A: Hopefully. I think it's going to take a lot of hard work, just slowing the game down and just knowing that one game can't dictate the next day. Slumps can't be longer. When you're in a slump, it's just the mental part then. You've just got to know that everything's straight. You can't think too much. You've just got to go out there and play. And that's what I'm working on.

 

The tool box

 

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers manager Jeff Isom breaks down D'Vontrey Richardson's skills:

 

- Hitting for average: I could see him being a .270 to .280 guy — maybe even a little bit more than that. It's not showing now. He's feeling his way through right now. He needs to develop confidence in his ability. He's got tremendous hand speed at the plate.

 

- Hitting for power: He's got the frame. He's a big guy, and once he realizes what kind of hitter he's going to be and what he's capable of doing, he's going to hit some home runs. We've seen in batting practice and in spring training a couple of times where the ball will jump off his bat. Right now, he's just trying to put the ball in play instead of driving balls. But once he learns what he's capable of doing, he could be a guy that could have 20 to 30 home runs.

 

- Running speed: He's above average. And what I like about it is, he's got a fast speed and he's got a super fast speed. For example, if he's at second base and there's a base hit to the outfield, he'll get to third base and realize it's going to be a close play at the plate and he can kick it into another gear. … He can move, and move very well.

 

- Arm strength: He's got to work on his footwork, his transfer. But from the throwing position to the release, it's as good as any. He's got an above-average arm.

 

- Fielding: He runs good routes. He will be an average major league guy with the ability to be above average because of the speed he has got. He does a great job of going to his left and going to his right, balls in front and behind. And he's just getting used to reading those line drives that are right at him. We're seeing improvement, daily, on those. But that's one area that he needs to work on.

 

- Final thoughts: He's got all the tools that could be in the big leagues right now. He runs well. He's got power. He's got the hitting. The outfield play — the speed's there; the routes are there. It's a matter of getting it all put together at this point. And once he gets it, he's going to be an exciting player. You look at him, and you see a body like Bo Jackson. Just an athletic guy. Right now, the tools that he has aren't playing to what the potential can be. But the potential on this player is very high.

 

Wisconsin center fielder D'Vontrey Richardson has an extra gear going from third to home, according to manager Jeff Isom. (Post-Crescent photo by Patrick Ferron)

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20100606&Category=APC021102&ArtNo=6060563&Ref=AR&Profile=1019&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattler Press Release:

 

FANTASTIC 4! FOUR RATTLERS NAMED TO MWL ALL-STAR SQUAD

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI – Nick Bucci, Khris Davis, Scooter Gennett, and Jake Odorizzi will be busy during the Midwest League All-Star break. The quartet of Wisconsin Timber Rattlers players have been selected to participate in the Midwest League All-Star Game at Parkview Field in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Tuesday, June 22.

 

Gennett and Davis were voted into the game as starters for the Western Division. Bucci and Odorizzi are on the squad as pitchers. The ballots were filled out by managers of the eight teams in the Western Division.

 

Gennett will be the starting second baseman for the West. The Brewers sixteenth round draft pick from the 2009 draft is the second leading hitter in the Midwest League. As of Monday, Gennett was hitting .355 in 53 games during his first professional season. Gennett had a 13- game hitting streak, the longest of the season for the Timber Rattlers, earlier this season. Gennett also leads the Timber Rattlers in RBI with 32.

 

Davis will be one of the starters in the outfield for the Western Division squad. He was the seventh round pick of the Brewers in the 2009 draft out of Cal-State Fullerton. Davis leads the Timber Rattlers in home runs with six. His .305 batting average in 54 games puts him just outside the top 10 in the Midwest League in that category. Davis has driven in 30 runs this season for the Rattlers.

 

Bucci, who was the eighteenth round pick of the Brewers in the 2008 draft, is 3-2 with a 1.74 earned run average in 11 games (eight starts) this season. Bucci’s ERA is good for third-best in the Midwest League this season.

 

Odorizzi, a supplemental first round pick of the Brewers in the 2008 draft, is 2-1 with a save and a 3.81 ERA in 11 games (eight starts) during 2010. Odorizzi has struck out 64 batters and walked 18 in 49.2 innings pitched. He is tied for fifth in the league in strikeouts.

 

The election of Davis and Gennett as starters marks the first time since the 2002 season there have been two Timber Rattlers elected to the starting lineup for the Midwest League All- Star Game. Shin-Soo Choo (OF) and Greg Dobbs (3B) were both starters for the West in the game on June 18, 2002 at Lansing.

[TheCrew07]

No Heckathorn and Bucci instead is interesting. We've discussed the baby faced assassin's peripherals quite a bit, and while Heckathorn did start slow, outside of 1 bad 1st inning, he's been great over the last month. Use it as motivation Kyle!

[YoungGeezy]

- Final thoughts: He's got all the tools that could be in the big leagues right now. He runs well. He's got power. He's got the hitting. The outfield play — the speed's there; the routes are there. It's a matter of getting it all put together at this point. And once he gets it, he's going to be an exciting player. You look at him, and you see a body like Bo Jackson. Just an athletic guy. Right now, the tools that he has aren't playing to what the potential can be. But the potential on this player is very high.

I have read everyone of these Player Profiles and all Jeff Isom's scouting reports and all I can say is wow. Isom all season has told everything as it is and to hear him talk this highly of Richardson just gives me so much more hope in him as a prospect. Let's hope D-Rich can put it all together sooner than later.

[YoungGeezy]

So if Hunter Morris signs quickly does anyone else feel Dennis will be moved back to Outfield? You have to believe the only reason he was moved was because the Brewers had no true 1st base prospects and felt that Dennis at least gave them one. It will be interesting to see how that works out. Like most I am high on Morris and with his abilities I could see him making a quick move through the system including a stop in Wisconsin sometime this summer.

[DHonks]

YoungGeezy, I can't imagine that we'd move Dennis fulltime to OF--maybe part-time. Looking at our minor leagues right now, we currently have the following OF prospects:

AA- Gindl, Haydel, Cain, and possibly Lawrie

A+- Schafer, Komatsu, Davis, Kjeldgaard, and Krieger

A- Davis, Dennis, Dykstra, Miller, Richardson, Romero (yes, I included Dennis and Dykstra)

R+- Stang, Walla,

R- McKelvie

 

We should be able to find at least 4 big leaguers from that group, possibly 6 or 7.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Timber Rattlers receive Midwest League all-star honors

Four Wisconsin players recognized

By Mike Woods, Post-Crescent staff writer

 

GRAND CHUTE — Pitcher Jake Odorizzi was understandably pumped about being named to play in the Midwest League All-Star Game.

 

But …

 

"I'd rather be the team winning right now than me being an all-star any day of the week," said Odorizzi, one of four Wisconsin Timber Rattlers selected to play in the all-star game June 22 in Fort Wayne, Ind.

 

Joining Odorizzi will be fellow pitcher Nick Bucci, along with Western Division starters Scooter Gennett (second base) and Khris Davis (outfield).

 

Manager Jeff Isom is hoping the honors will help begin to turn around a team that is 21-36 on the season, in large part due to a stunningly dismal 2-15 mark in one-run games.

 

"It's well deserving for all four of those guys," Isom said. "And, yeah, we've been struggling a little bit. We've had a lot of one-run games and that's the frustrating part so far.

 

"But when you get these four guys, you're hoping that maybe they realize that, hey, they're pretty good. Maybe that'll put us over the hump in these one-run games. Somebody steps up and makes the pitch in that situation or one of those two hitters comes in and says, 'Hey, I'm an all-star, I'm going to carry this team now.' That's kind of my thought process on the whole thing."

 

Still, for Tuesday, at least, as the Rattlers' game with Bowling Green was rained out and will be made up as part of a doubleheader starting today at noon on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium, individual satisfaction was front and center.

 

"It's an honor," Odorizzi said. "I don't expect to have anything given to me — just go out there and work and obtain every goal. This was one of my goals at the beginning of the year and I was able to obtain it this year. It's a great feeling right now."

 

Added Gennett: "It's a nice feeling that your performance is getting recognized by the coaches and other teams' coaches and you're getting the opportunity to play in the event. The stature feels good."

 

Davis said he hopes this is the first of many such honors in his career.

 

"Everywhere I go, I want to be an all-star, so just being able to be recognized is an honor," he said. "My parents are real proud and I'm glad I'm making them proud."

[TooLiveBrew]

- Final thoughts: He's got all the tools that could be in the big leagues right now. He runs well. He's got power. He's got the hitting. The outfield play — the speed's there; the routes are there. It's a matter of getting it all put together at this point. And once he gets it, he's going to be an exciting player. You look at him, and you see a body like Bo Jackson. Just an athletic guy. Right now, the tools that he has aren't playing to what the potential can be. But the potential on this player is very high.

I have read everyone of these Player Profiles and all Jeff Isom's scouting reports and all I can say is wow. Isom all season has told everything as it is and to hear him talk this highly of Richardson just gives me so much more hope in him as a prospect. Let's hope D-Rich can put it all together sooner than later.

Fwiw, from being at the games, the other players go with "D-Vo" http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Rattlers Profile: Caleb Thielbar

Mike Woods, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

Caleb Thielbar file

 

- Age: 23.

- Position: Relief pitcher.

- Bats/throws: Right/left.

- Height, weight: 6-0, 200.

- Residence: Randolph, Minn.

 

- Notes: Selected by Milwaukee in the 18th round of the 2009 June draft. ... Posted an Arizona League-best 1.59 ERA and tied for first in the league in wins with six. ... Attended South Dakota State University, where he finished as the school's all-time leader in starts (44), innings pitched (274.0) and ranked second in strikeouts (196). ... Graduated from Randolph (Minn.) High School, where he was also a standout in basketball.

 

Favorites

 

- Favorite major leaguer growing up: Johan Santana.

- Current favorite major leaguer: "I like Tim Lincecum."

- Favorite Brewers player: Yovani Gallardo. "I like the way he pitches."

- Favorite sport other than baseball: Basketball. "I had a few offers to play college, but I pretty much told my coach I'm not going to do that, don't have anyone offer, because I wasn't going to go. I wanted to play baseball."

- Favorite World Cup player: Lionel Messi. Who does he play for? "I have no idea. I just know he's awesome (He's a winger for Argentina)."

- Favorite food: "I would have to go with a nice porterhouse steak."

- Favorite thing about Appleton: "I just like the atmosphere around here. It's fun to actually play in front of fans, especially after last summer in the Arizona league. There's no one there."

- Favorite way to relax: "Either fishing or golfing. In golf, I hit the ball a long ways, but everything else, nothing much."

- Favorite video game: "Probably Mario Kart."

- Favorite TV shows: "I like 'Entourage,' 'South Park' and 'SportsCenter.' "

 

Q&A

 

Q: How did you end up at South Dakota State?

 

A: I had a few other offers but nothing Division I. It was the only Division I opportunity I had. They had the major I wanted there, too — wildlife and fisheries science. It's pretty limited to where you can go for that.

 

Q: So what was life like in Brookings, S.D.?

 

A: I liked it. The people out there are great. The weather, it's a little worse than Minnesota, actually. It's colder and a lot more windy. But you get used to it.

 

Q: Are you a Vikings fan?

 

A: Yeah, but you don't have to put that in, do you?

 

Q: Do you think Brett Favre should come back?

 

A: I think he should. He obviously has something left in the tank. But I don't know if he will. He got pretty beat up last year."

 

Q: What was your reaction when he threw that interception that basically ended the NFC Championship Game?

 

A: Well, they deserved that after they fumbled six times.

 

Q: In college, you finished as your school's all-time leader in starts. How does it feel to be a relief pitcher now?

 

A: I've done both. It really doesn't matter. In the bullpen, you get a chance to redeem yourself a little bit faster. Starting, you're on a set routine. If you don't do well, you can't do anything about it for five days.

 

Q: Do you remember the last time you had an at-bat?

 

A: I had an at-bat in college last year, in a blowout game. RBI single!

 

Q: So what do you guys do in the bullpen to pass the time?

 

A: We do our fair share of screwing around, but when we know someone's going to get up, we settle it down and start paying attention.

 

Q: In five years you'll be …

 

A: Either in the major leagues or on a lake somewhere.

[Mass Haas]

Brad from LetsGoRattlers takes a shot at analyzing Wisconsin's defensive woes.

[WV Brew]

Haudricourt's blog has Morris signed and headed to the T-Rats. Rivera also signed, destination unknown.

[Tedaldtada]

It is easy to foresee great success for the second half T-Rats. Pitching will be the key, but the lumber just received a major upgrade this week with Davis Brother 2 and Morris.

[gobrew23]

Wow, that's exciting news. The T-Rats are already filled with exciting prospects. I love that they're sending Morris there.

[DHonks]

just curious, as I'm normally an optimist...but why is Erik Miller playing in A when there are guys with futures in baseball sitting waiting for Helena? Heck, Krieger would have been a useful bat in Appleton this year, rather than splitting it between being a backing and EST.

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio:

 

Digging the long ball

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Timber Rattlers Profile: Michael Marseco

By Post-Crescent staff writer Mike Woods

 

Michael Marseco file

 

- Age: 23.

- Position: Shortstop.

- Bats/throws: Switch/right.

- Height/weight: 5-10, 155.

- Residence: Calera, Ala.

 

- Notes: Selected in the 11th round by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2008 June draft. ... Attended Samford University, where he was a three-time, first-team all-Ohio Valley Conference pick. ... Was named OVC player of the year in 2008 after hitting .407, with five home runs and 46 RBI in 54 games. ... Had a 29-game hitting streak, which ranked fifth-best among all Division 1 players in 2008. ... Graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla). High School, where his team won a state championship.

 

Favorites

 

- Former major leaguer: "Ozzie Smith. I just like the way he did everything, from fielding to throwing, his attitude, his approach, his energy he brought to the field everyday."

- Current player: "I'd have to go with Khris Davis from the Timber Rattlers, because he has a similar energy and a hard work ethic. But as far as MLB guys, you really can't go wrong with anyone. Everyone who is there has done something right."

- Brewers player: "I'd have to go with Craig Counsell. I was a huge Marlins fan (Counsell played for the Marlins from 1997-99) back when they won their first World Series and he has always been one of my favorite players."

- Sport other than baseball: "Racquetball. I play a lot in the offseason. It's good hand-eye coordination, good lateral movement stuff. Pretty similar to a lot of things you do in baseball. I actually played racquetball before I started baseball, it's always been a hobby."

- Food: "A good slice of pizza is hard to beat. Sal's downtown is great. It's definitely my favorite."

- Way to relax: "I just like to go to Barnes and Noble and read books, have a cup of coffee. That's about it for me."

- Video game: "Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 2."

- Thing about Appleton: "I like everything about Appleton. I like the way the town is set up, how everything is in a pretty centralized location. The only thing I could complain about, from a baseball standpoint, is it's pretty windy some days."

- Baseball memory: "Probably winning a state title in high school. That's pretty cliche for anyone that's ever won. But still I'd have to say that's my best memory."

 

Q&A

 

Q: You were born and raised in Florida, so are you a fan of the Gators, Seminoles or Hurricanes?

 

A: None of the above. I don't like any of the Florida teams. I cheer for Alabama.

 

Q: Isn't that kind of sacrilegious?

 

A: No, it's not. All the Florida teams, they have enough bandwagon fans. I just never latched on to any of them.

 

Q: Are you into the World Cup?

 

A: I cheer for the USA. Anything the U.S. is involved in, you have to support the home team.

 

Q: Do you have any outside interests?

 

A: I've always wanted to be involved in a community job. Teaching, a fireman, a cop — anything that keeps you around people and not behind a desk.

 

Q: If I were to take something, your glove or your bat, by which would you be most bothered?

 

A: Oh, my glove. It would be like someone trying to steal your kid. I'm with it every day. It gets me through every game. It's my one, cherished baseball possession.

 

Q: You're not the biggest guy in the world. Are you one of those guys who plays with an attitude that you have something to prove?

 

A: You just have to play hard for yourself and the team. And then anyone who notices that you are small and are a good player, it's just an added bonus. But when you're out on the field, you're not thinking about that.

 

Q: You had a little pop in your bat in college. Have you come close to hitting a home run in professional baseball?

 

A: I have 14 career minor-league balls off the wall — not that I'm counting. But, I'm counting.

 

Q: What was having a 29-game hitting streak in college like?

 

A: It was awesome. I was, obviously, in a good spot, as far as my approach to hitting. Every game, I'd just tell myself to have a good approach. You can't control anything other than putting a good swing on each pitch that you commit to. That's really the only approach I had.

 

Q: What's the hardest part of playing minor-league baseball?

 

A: Just staying focused and bringing your best game to the field every single day. There's a lot of downtime in the clubhouse, a lot of downtime at the field. If you're not 100 percent committed to a routine and having checkpoints to get you through every day, mentally, it's going to wear you out.

 

Q: You were able to pitch against Peoria last year and had a one-two-three inning. What was that like?

 

A: I love pitching. I've got two pitches right now and there's a third one in the works. I think it's the most competitive part of baseball. You get to be involved in every play, and the adrenaline I feel on the pitcher's mound, you can't compare many things to it. It's absolutely a rush. I love it.

 

The tool box

 

Timber Rattlers hitting coach Matt Erickson breaks down Michael Marseco's skills:

 

- Fielding and throwing: "He's a defensive-minded kid. He's made some unbelievable plays at shortstop. He's our true staple on this team in the infield. We saw some of it last year in some of the plays he made. I like to nickname him 'Spider Monkey' — he just seems to torque his body in ways and gets to balls you don't think he's going to get to. And he's accurate with his throws. There's no question that his defense will keep him around."

 

- Hitting: "On the offensive side, we have some work to do, obviously. There's been improvement this year. Last year, it was kind of a struggle to get him to understand what kind of hitter he needs to be. Kind of be the control guy, where you move runners, situational-hitting kind of thing.

 

"We tried to spread him out most of last year and he was real uncomfortable with that. He was very narrow, big stride. Coming out of college, that's the way he hits a lot of the time. He really struggled, especially with off-speed pitches, and hit a lot of balls in the air. Obviously, with his size, he's not going to do a lot of damage with balls in the air, especially with the wooden bat.

 

"But he's a joy to work with. Every day, he comes in here and we do some things. We've got him spread out. He believes in that. He believes that he has to be a middle-to-other-way guy to have success. And now it's just a matter of executing that. There have been spurts where he has been pretty good and he has been one of our tougher outs in our lineup. It's a matter of him believing in the work and the process to help him get better."

 

- Speed: "He's got pretty good speed. I'd say he has average speed. He can move a little bit. When he's on the base paths, he can put pressure on the defense."

[Mass Haas]

From Chris Mehring, who wrote a very cool live blog of this event, check out the link and its photos --

 

KHRIS DAVIS: 2010 MWL HOME RUN DERBY CHAMP!

FORT WAYNE, IN - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers outfielder Khris Davis is the champion of home run derby in the Midwest League for 2010. The right-handed hitting slugger defeated Fort Wayne TinCaps infielder Nate Freiman 11-8 in the finals to claim the crown. Home Run Derby was held as part of All-Star Monday at Parkview Field. The Midwest League All-Star Game is scheduled for Tuesday night at the home of the TinCaps. Davis hit 25 homers in his three rounds of competition.

 

Davis finished behind Freiman in the preliminary round. Davis hit nine home runs as the second hitter. Freiman banged 12 tape-measure shots as the last hitter. Three other players: Matt Davidson of South Bend (8 homers), Henry Rodriguez of Dayton (4), and Nick Franklin of Clinton (4), also advanced out of the first round.

 

Franklin and Rodriguez each hit two homers in the semifinals. Davidson homered one time. Davis advanced to the finals by hitting five homers. Freiman made the finals with six homers and he did not take his full complement of 10 outs in the semifinals.

 

Davis, the seventh round pick of the Brewers in the 2009 draft, went to hit first in the final round. The scoring of the competition was any ball that was not hit for a home run was an out. Davis had five home runs and three outs left in his turn when he went off on a binge. He hit five homers on six swings to give him ten home runs. Davis, who hit the majority of homers to left field, hit one more homer to give him eleven.

 

Freiman started slow, but homered on four straight swings to give him seven homers with six outs. He would get just one more homer and Davis would claim the crown.

 

In a post-game interview on the field microphone, Davis mentioned that he just tried to go out and do like Ken Griffey, Jr., Davis's favorite player, used to do in the Major League Home Run Derby.

 

Davis will be a starter in the outfield for the Western Division squad in the Midwest League All-Star Game on Tuesday night. Teammate Scooter Gennett is the starter at second base for the West. Fellow Timber Rattlers Jake Odorizzi and Nick Bucci are also members of the West Division team. Game time from Parkview Field is 6:05 PM CDT.

[Mass Haas]

Davis blasts way to MWL Derby crown
By Matthew Lindner / Special to MLB.com

FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The first Home Run Derby in Fort Wayne in 16 years proved to be well worth the wait for TinCaps fans -- especially those sitting in left field.

Wisconsin outfielder Khris Davis (Brewers) turned a seating area known as the "Home Run Porch" into his own personal target practice landing strip Monday night, sending 11 souvenirs to the fans in that section during the final round en route to the title.

"They should've brought gloves with them if they were going to catch 'em," Davis said.

Wearing his hat backward like his idol, the recently retired Ken Griffey, Jr., Davis set the tone from the start. He lofted nine balls out of the yard in the first round and five in the second, setting the stage for an epic final against hometown favorite Nate Freiman (Padres) of Fort Wayne.

"He was making it look easy," Davis said of his opponent. "I just wanted to get as many as I can."

Freiman certainly had his moments in the spotlight, though.

The slugging first baseman made a grand entrance on a golf cart, waving an American flag. Once the pageantry stopped, the real first-round fireworks began.

Freiman also took aim at the Home Run Porch early on, hitting 13 home runs to that part of the ballpark to establish himself as the early favorite.

"You try not to swing too hard," he said. "You have to swing hard enough to get it out, but you don't want to wear yourself out."

But in the end, Davis had just enough left in the tank, withstanding a late onslaught by Freiman, who ended up with eight in the round.

"It would have been nice to win, but being here in the finals and putting on a great show, it was a lot of fun," Freiman added.

Meanwhile the Derby pitchers were able to do something few Midwest League pitchers have been able to this season -- keep Great Lakes first baseman Jerry Sands (Dodgers) from leaving the yard. Sands was eliminated early on, only sending two balls out of the yard in his first-round exit.

Skills that pay the bills: The old saying goes "If at first you don't succeed, try try again," and for one All-Star, that became a mantra during the Skills Competition.

Wisconsin second baseman Scooter Gennett put his first throw from shortstop into the first-base dugout and the second one into the fifth row of seats before becoming the first and only position player to put one through the target. He finished in second place among the infielders.

Great Lakes shortstop Christian Lara (Dodgers) scored the most points among all fielders, hitting the target four times for four points en route to the infielders' victory.

Three of the four catchers -- Kane County's Max Stassi (A's), Lake County's Chun-Hsiu Chen (Indians) and South Bend's Tyson Van Winkle (Diamondbacks) -- tied for the win in the catchers' competition with two points each. Beloit's Aaron Hicks (Twins) and Fort Wayne's Denny Payne tied for the win in the outfielders' competition with one point apiece.

Hometown hitter: Freiman wasn't the only hometown hero participating in this year's Derby.

Recent Garrett High School (Ind.) graduate Spencer Burns earned the chance of a lifetime, competing in this year's Derby as the Hometown Hitter. Burns earned his coveted spot competing against the pros after beating out a host of other top area hitters.

Entering to one of the evening's louder ovations, Burns did not disappoint, using his aluminum bat to give his hometown fans a thrill. Burns sent one pitch flying out high over the left-field wall on to one of the streets surrounding the stadium.

Despite some hard-hit line drives, that dinger would be Burns' only blast of the evening, though. Even still, he says it was one of the more memorable experiences he's had on or off a baseball field.

"Coming here, I was a little nervous," he said. "These guys have all treated me real well. It's great to be out here competing with these guys."

It's also likely the final hurrah in his baseball career. Burns will head to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to compete on the school's football team. He says football is his top priority, but he hasn't entirely ruled out trying out for the school's baseball team.

Notes: This is the 16th year the Midwest League has gone with the East-West format for the All-Star Game, with the East having won 10 of the previous 15 games. ... The East topped the West, 36-27, in the cumulative point totals of the Skills Competition. ... Both of the East's starting catchers were injured in action Sunday. Van Winkle replaced Lake County's Roberto Perez on the Eastern Division roster, but original starting catcher A.J. Jimenez (Reds) of Lansing will not be replaced on the roster. Chen, who was originally scheduled to start at designated hitter, will start at catcher. The average age of the East squad is 20.7, while the average age of the West stars is 21.1.

Khris Davis teed off 25 times -- including 11 in the final round -- to win the title. (Dan Watson)

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2010/06/21/JTrQ5OvJ.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Derby a smashing success

TinCaps’ Freiman 2nd at All-Star event

Steve Warden, The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

 

FORT WAYNE – It wasn’t exactly Roy Hobbs smashing a light in the film “The Natural,” but shattering a top portion of the Huntington University sign that is attached vertically to the left-field foul pole will forever provide the TinCaps’ Nate Freiman his own piece of Parkview Field lore.

 

“He busted the sign!” said Jason Freier, chief executive officer of Hardball Capital, which owns the TinCaps.

 

Well, yes, but it was a small price to pay for a joyous night that drew 4,015 fans to the Midwest League Home Run Derby and Skills Competition on Monday. It was the opening act of two days of festivities that will end with tonight’s All-Star Game.

 

Although Freiman lost the home run competition to Wisconsin Timber Rattlers’ Khris Davis, an outfielder with the West team, the 6-foot-7 first baseman came up with the night’s most memorable shot.

 

When the ball hit the area of the sign that is nearly 30 feet from the playing surface, several pieces of white fell into the left field corner.

 

“That’s cool,” Freiman said of his second home run in the final round. “Hopefully it isn’t broke up too bad.”

 

Freiman, who has six homers this season, finished with eight home runs in the final round. Davis, who hit first in the last round, had 11.

 

But Freiman made it close.

 

With three home runs and four outs (anything but a home run) to go before being eliminated, Freiman went on to hit four straight, many of which sailed out of Parkview Field.

 

“It was fun,” Freiman said. “Khris was unbelievable. He put on a great show.”

 

As did Freiman in the first round, when he lofted 12 out of the park.

 

“The fans were great,” said Davis, who earlier in the season hit a home run that hit the wooden trellis in center field – an estimated distance of 430 feet.

 

“They were cheering me on, too. Of course they were going for the hometown boy, but they were cheering me on. I think they wanted to see a real good show.”

 

Spencer Burns, the Garrett senior who won the high school portion of the home run derby, had one in his turn at the plate.

 

And the more he watched, the more impressed he was of the All-Stars.

 

“This is only single-A ball, too,” Burns said. “You’ve got a lot more levels to get to the bigs. These guys, this is what they do for a living. They come in and make it look easy.”

 

In the skills competition, Danny Payne of the TinCaps and Beloit’s Aaron Hicks tied for first in the outfield throw, Christian Lara of Great Lakes on the infield throw, and Max Stassi of Kane County, Tyson VanWinkle of South Bend and Chun-Hsiu Chen of Lake County tied in the catchers’ throw.

[Mass Haas]

Khris Davis photo the 2nd in the gallery

[Tedaldtada]

Khris Davis is much, much thicker then I thought. I need to catch a T-Rats game this year.

[Mass Haas]

Here's some nice video from the contest -- including the shot that broke the sign discussed above, which did look pretty "Natural-esque". Khris Davis briefly discusses his win as well, looked psyched (and exhausted).

[Mass Haas]

Here's your info as the Timber Rattlers are in Fort Wayne for the 2010 Midwest League All-Star Game

 

Date / Time: Tuesday, June 22th, Game Time is 6:05 PM Central

 

Coverage: Chris Mehring provides information about online audio

Timber Rattler Participants: Representing the West Squad, 2B Scooter Gennett and OF Khris Davis (both starters), RHP's Jake Odorizzi and Nick Bucci (if Bucci pitches, it will be minimally)

 

Box Score / Game Log / Gameday: LINK

 

Post-game "Link Report"-style coverage will be within this thread.

 

MiLB.com preview

 

***

 

Chris Mehring's Live Blog Begins at 5:45 Central

[Mass Haas]

From Chris Mehring:

 

The East beat the West (Wisconsin's division) 6-2 in the 2010 Midwest League All-Star Game at Parkview Field in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

 

All four Wisconsin Timber Rattlers elected to play for the West played in the game.

 

Scooter Gennett: 1-for-2

Khris Davis: 0-for-2

Nick Bucci: .1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K

Jake Odorizzi: .1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K

 

The Rattlers return to action on Friday night. Wisconsin opens the second half of the season against the Burlington Bees at Time Warner Cable Field. Game time on Friday night is 7:05 PM.