Link Report for Wed. 5/26 -- Rattlers win 5th straight; Latest: Scout Analysis of Eric Arnett

[Mass Haas]

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Wednesday's Daily Menu: Nashville's current roster, with all due respect, isn't overly exciting -- their youngest active position player is SS Luis Cruz at 26, and Chase Wright isn't an inspiring starting choice today, but hey, it's still a mid-day distraction...

Times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Chase Wright at Sacramento (Athletics), 1:20 PM pre-game; 1:35 gametime

Live Audio Link

 

Huntsville: RHP Michael Bowman at home vs. Birmingham (White Sox), 6:45 PM pre-game; 7:00 gametime

Live Audio Link

 

Brevard County: RHP Wily Peralta at home vs. Daytona (Cubs), 6:05 PM gametime

Live Audio Link (Cubs' Feed)

Wisconsin: RHP Eric Arnett at Kane County (Athletics), 5:45 PM pre-game; 6:00 gametime

Live Audio Link

[Mass Haas]

Nashville diehards can watch this week's series in Sacramento with a subscription to MiLB.TV.

[Mass Haas]

Follow Wednesday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Tab or New Window". Choose "Recap". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often.

 

Nashville (Gameday also available)

 

Huntsville (Gameday also available)

Brevard County

 

Wisconsin

[Mass Haas]

Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nashville 26 18 .591 - 9-9 17-9 W1 
Iowa 25 19 .568 1.0 12-11 13-8 W1 
Memphis 25 19 .568 1.0 13-7 12-12 W2 
Omaha 22 21 .512 3.5 10-14 12-7 W3 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tennessee 27 18 .600 - 12-13 15-5 W1 
West Tenn 23 21 .523 3.5 9-15 14-6 L2 
Huntsville 22 23 .489 5.0 8-12 14-11 L3 
Carolina 21 24 .467 6.0 9-11 12-13 W1 
Chattanooga 19 26 .422 8.0 12-13 7-13 L1 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Florida State League (A+) - FSL North Division Standings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dunedin 29 17 .630 - 10-11 19-6 W7 
Lakeland 27 18 .600 1.5 14-10 13-8 W3 
Clearwater 26 20 .565 3.0 14-11 12-9 L6 
Tampa 24 22 .522 5.0 13-12 11-10 L2 
Daytona 21 25 .457 8.0 7-13 14-12 W4 
Brevard County 16 29 .356 12.5 9-15 7-14 L6

[Mass Haas]

MID Western (click column headers to sort)
	Club	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Away	L 10	Streak
	Cedar Rapids	27	18	.600	-	14-4	13-14	7-3	L1
	Quad Cities	26	19	.578	1.0	16-7	10-12	5-5	W2
	Peoria	26	20	.565	1.5	15-5	11-15	5-5	W1
	Clinton	24	20	.545	2.5	14-9	10-11	8-2	W4
	Beloit	25	21	.543	2.5	13-13	12-8	3-7	L5
	Kane County	20	26	.435	7.5	12-8	8-18	1-9	L7
	Wisconsin	17	28	.378	10.0	12-17	5-11	6-4	W4
	Burlington	15	28	.349	11.0	8-13	7-15	3-7	L3

[Mass Haas]

This link will be updated an hour or so prior to this afternoon's game --

 

PDF document:

 

Nashville Media Notes

[Mass Haas]

PDF document:

 

Huntsville Media Notes

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio:

 

May 26, 2010: Game Notes

 

May 26, 2010: Tonight's Pitcher

[battlekow]

Final: Sacramento 8, Nashville 1

Sounds fall to River Cats, 8-1

Nashville Sounds

 

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Former Major League hurler John Halama tossed

seven scoreless innings in his first start of the year to lead the

Sacramento River Cats to an 8-1 victory over the Nashville Sounds on

Wednesday afternoon at Raley Field.

 

The Sounds (26-19) suffered the defeat despite out-hitting Sacramento,

9-8, in the contest.

 

 

Halama (1-0), who spent 2010 spring training in Brewers camp before

requesting his release in mid-April, made his first appearance of the

year after signing with the Athletics organization earlier in the week.

The 38-year-old southpaw allowed six hits over his seven scoreless

frames, adding five strikeouts in his 103-pitch effort.

 

 

Sacramento took a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning as the

first six batters of the frame reached base and scored against Sounds

starter Chase Wright.

 

 

Shortstop Michael Affronti led off the River Cats' third with a solo

homer to left, his first longball of the season. Corey Wimberly followed

with a bunt single before scoring the frame's second run on an Eric

Sogard triple to right. After Josh Donaldson added an RBI single and

Chris Carter drew a walk, Sacramento center fielder Matt Carson

concluded the scoring with his first home run of the year, a three-run

shot to left-center off Wright.

 

 

The River Cats concluded the afternoon's scoring in the eighth when

Corey Brown legged out a two-run triple to right off reliever Mitch

Stetter that plated Carson and Anthony Recker to bring the score to its

final 8-0.

 

 

Nashville had a pair of runners thrown out at the plate in the contest

while attempting to score on infield grounders.

 

 

In the third inning with runners on first and third and one out, Adam

Stern was thrown out at the plate by Halama while attempting to score on

Norris Hopper's infield grounder. In the sixth, Adam Heether was gunned

down by Carter from first base as he tried to take an extra base and

cross the plate from second on Erick Almonte's infield single to short.

 

 

Nashville didn't go down without a fight in its last at-bat, breaking up

the River Cats' shutout big in the top of the ninth.

 

 

The Sounds loaded the bases in the top of the ninth when Joe Koshansky and

Almonte, who each finished with two hits on the day, reached on

consecutive singles and Trent Oeltjen drew a four-pitch walk from River

Cats reliever Brad Kilby. The Sacramento left-hander recovered to strike

out Luis Cruz and Stern for the first two outs before catcher Patrick

Arlis drew a walk from Kilby to force home Koshansky for the visitors'

first run of the day.

 

 

Edwar Ramirez took over on the hill for Sacramento and retired Hopper on

a game-ending flyout. Hopper went 0-for-5 on the afternoon to snap the

Sounds' longest active hitting streak at eight games.

 

 

Wright (3-2) took the loss for Nashville after giving up six runs on six

hits, including a pair of homers, in his five innings of work.

 

 

Rehabbing reliever David Riske threw a scoreless inning for the Sounds

in the contest and has now retired all nine batters faced over his three

relief outings since joining Nashville.

 

 

The teams wrap up their four-game season series with a 9:05 p.m. CT

finale on Thursday night. Right-hander Kameron Loe (4-2, 2.70) will make

the start for the Sounds to face Sacramento right-hander Graham Godfrey

(1-4, 4.11).

Nashville box score

Nashville play-by-play

[battlekow]

Kevin Goldstein is at the Rattlers game tonight, so we should get some interesting insights. The first:

Brewers rhp Eric Arnett at

86-91, tons of scouts talking his mechanics, not in a good way.

After the 2nd inning:

[Arnett] with 3 Ks in otherwise sloppy inning.

Breaking ball looks good, command a mess

I asked him if Arnett's velocity had picked up any after the 1st, and he said he "saw a couple 92s".

 

After the 3rd inning:

Arnett squeezes

out of another jam in third vs. horrible offensive team. 3 shutout IP,

nobody impressed.

I think it's safe to say Arnett's not winning over Goldstein:

Arnett gives up a

no-doubt HR to a .149 hitting backup catcher with zero home runs... well

one now.

More:

he's not horrible; there have been some good

breaking balls, just way off the pre draft version.

He says Arnett's inconsistent mechanics are leading to a lack of control.

[homer]

If his control is so off, why does he only have 1 BB through 7 IP? Is it simply because Kane County is so bad?

[battlekow]

The Stars were rained out tonight. Doubleheader tomorrow starting at 5.

If his control is so off, why does he only have 1 BB through 7 IP? Is it simply because Kane County is so bad?

He threw 85 pitches and only 52 strikes, so the walk total is a little misleading.

[dadofandrew]

Many young pitchers struggle to be consistent when they first hit pro ball. The Crew may also have changed Arnett's motion to try and keep him healthy, and he is still working on it being second nature.

 

Most guys are far from finished products. That's why the minors are for teaching, not results.

[battlekow]

Final: Wisconsin 2, Kane County 1

Dykstra delivers; Rattlers win fifth straight

Chris Mehring/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

GENEVA, IL –

Cutter Dykstra tripled with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to

drive in

the go ahead run for a 2-1 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers victory. The

Rattlers picked up their fifth straight win despite being out hit by the

Kane

County Cougars Wednesday night at Elfstrom Stadium. Wisconsin sent the

Cougars to their eighth straight loss.

 

 

 

 

 

Juan Nunez

drove a solo homer to left with two outs in the fourth inning to put the

Cougars (20-27) in front 1-0.

 

Wisconsin

(18-28) answered back with a two-out rally of their own in the top of

the

fifth. Michael Marseco was hit by a pitch. Austin Stockfisch

followed with a single. Erik Miller’s single to right-center sent

Marseco

home with the tying run.

 

 

 

 

 

The Nunez

homer was the only run allowed by Rattlers starting pitcher Eric

Arnett.

The #1 pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2009 draft struggled at

times, but

struck out four over six innings. In the second inning, he worked out

of

a bases loaded jam with one out by striking out the final two hitters of

the

frame. Arnett allowed six hits and walked one in his time on the hill.

 

Both teams

missed opportunities later in the game. In the seventh, Pete Fatse was

at

third with one out. The Cougars brought their infield in and it paid

off. Marseco sent a grounder to first and the throw home beat Fatse for

the second out. Kane County reliever Jonathan Joseph got the final out

of

the inning.

 

 

 

 

 

Kane County

got a one out double from Anthony Aliotti in the bottom of the eighth

inning

and he moved to third on a stolen base. Rattlers’ reliever Jon

Pokorny struck out the next batter and got a fly ball to left to end the

inning.

 

The top of

the ninth looked like it would quietly end as Joseph retired the first

two

batters. But, he walked Fatse to bring Dykstra to the plate. The

Rattlers’ third baseman sent a line drive on a 1-2 pitch to

right-center.

Kane County center fielder Myrio Richard dove for the ball, but could

not

make the catch. The ball rolled to the wall, Fatse scored and Dykstra

wound up on third with a triple.

 

 

 

Andre

Lamontagne pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save.

 

 

 

The Timber

Rattlers and Cougars wrap up their three-game series on Thursday night.

Kyle Heckathorn (2-3, 3.34) is the scheduled starting pitcher for

Wisconsin. Kane County has Dan Straily (4-1, 2.92) as their scheduled

starter. Game time is 6:00pm. Tune in for the Miller Lite Pregame

Show on AM1280, WNAM at 5:40pm.

Wisconsin box score

See above for a quasi-scouting report on Arnett from Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus. Takeaway theme: Arnett's (new?) mechanics are very inconsistent, which adversely affects his control. His velocity also wasn't particularly inspiring, though Goldstein did praise his slider. Nevertheless, credit Arnett for being "mentally tough", as Chris Mehring emphasized, and working around his own mistakes and those of his defense. Another nice relief outing from Pokorny. Mehring said Lamontagne was hitting 95 in the 9th inning. Not much doing on offense, though enough to win. Scooter Gennett's hitting streak ended with his 0-4 night; Khris Davis and Chris Dennis also took the collar. D'Vontrey Richardson was 1-4, and of course Dykstra had the big triple.

Wisconsin play-by-play

Arnett's first three innings were pretty hairy:

 

Kane County Bottom 1st

 

• Michael Gilmartin grounds
  out, shortstop Michael Marseco to first baseman Chris Dennis.
• Kent
  Walton singles on a line drive to left fielder Peter Fatse.
• With
  Leonardo Gil batting, passed ball by Austin Stockfisch, Kent Walton to
  2nd.
• Leonardo Gil singles on a fly ball to right fielder Erik
  Miller. Kent Walton to 3rd. Leonardo Gil out at 2nd, right fielder
  Erik Miller to shortstop Michael Marseco.
• Myrio Richard
  grounds out, third baseman Cutter Dykstra to first baseman Chris Dennis.
  

Kane County Bottom 2nd

• Anthony
  Aliotti called out on strikes.
• Max Stassi singles on a ground
  ball to shortstop Michael Marseco.
• Rashun Dixon reaches on
  force attempt, fielding error by third baseman Cutter Dykstra. Max
  Stassi to 2nd.
• Nino Leyja singles on a line drive to right
  fielder Erik Miller. Max Stassi to 3rd. Rashun Dixon to 2nd.
• Juan
  Nunez strikes out swinging.
• Michael Gilmartin strikes out
  swinging.

Kane

County Bottom 3rd

• Kent Walton grounds out, third baseman
  Cutter Dykstra to first baseman Chris Dennis.
• Leonardo Gil
  grounds out, third baseman Cutter Dykstra to first baseman Chris Dennis.
  
• Myrio Richard walks.
• Anthony Aliotti reaches on
  fielding error by first baseman Chris Dennis. Anthony Aliotti to 2nd.
  Myrio Richard advances to 3rd, on missed catch error by second baseman
  Ryan Gennett.
• Max Stassi grounds out, second baseman Ryan
  Gennett to first baseman Chris Dennis.

[battlekow]

Final: Daytona 9, Brevard County 3

Brevard County box score

Wily Peralta's control failed him, and one of the few fly balls he allowed left the yard for a two-run homer, but the real damage was done by the Manatees pen, which let a 3-2 game get away from them, though Peralta was stuck with the loss. Peralta allowed three runs in five innings on four hits and four walks, punching out five, inducing eight ground outs against one fly out, while Dan Meadows and Brandon Ritchie let in six more runs over the next four innings. On offense, Josh Prince was back leading off and Kentrail Davis back in the cleanup spot; Prince singled while committing two errors and Davis walked while going 0-4 and also committing an error. Erik Komatsu was 1-4 with a walk, Shawn Zarraga was 1-4, and Matt Cline was 0-3 with a walk and a HBP.

 

Brevard County play-by-play

Much of the damage against Peralta came in the 2nd:

 

Daytona Top 2nd

• Rebel Ridling walks.
• Kyler
  Burke homers (4) on a fly ball to right center field. Rebel Ridling
  scores.
• Jake Opitz singles on a ground ball to left fielder
  Brock Kjeldgaard.
• With David Macias batting, Jake Opitz caught
  stealing 2nd base, catcher Anderson De La Rosa to shortstop Josh
  Prince.
• David Macias walks.
• Jose Valdez strikes out
  swinging.
• Luis Flores walks. David Macias to 2nd.
• Brett
  Jackson strikes out swinging.

The Manatees squandered a chance for a big inning in the 1st:

 

Brevard County Bottom 1st

• Josh Prince grounds out,
  second baseman Ryan Flaherty to first baseman Rebel Ridling.
• Matt
  Cline walks.
• Erik Komatsu reaches on force attempt, throwing
  error by pitcher Dae-Eun Rhee. Matt Cline to 2nd.
• Kentrail
  Davis walks. Matt Cline to 3rd. Erik Komatsu to 2nd.
• Sergio
  Miranda grounds into double play, pitcher Dae-Eun Rhee to catcher Luis
  Flores to first baseman Rebel Ridling. Matt Cline out at home.

[BrewCrewForever]

Did Arnett throw harder in college? Or was he a 90-92 guy there as well?

[TooLiveBrew]

If it's mechanics, then I think I'll breathe a little sigh of relief. Hopefully the organization can get him ironed out. It's way too early to be down on him much imo.

[Mass Haas]

Manatees swept by Cubs, losing streak at seven

By Frank Longobardo / Brevard County Manatees

 

VIERA - The Brevard County Manatees lost Wednesday night's series finale with the Daytona Cubs 9-3 at Space Coast Stadium. Offensively, the Manatees collected just six hits and grounded into three double plays. Brevard County pitching allowed seven extra base hits, while the defense committed three errors.

 

After Daytona's Rebel Ridling drew a lead-off walk to start the second, Kyler Burke hit his fourth home run of the season to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead.

 

The bottom of the third saw the Manatees cut the lead in half, thanks to an Erik Komatsu single that saw Josh Prince score on an error by Jose Valdez.

 

Manatees starter Wily Peralta would allow one more run on the night in the fifth inning as he finished the evening allowing three runs on four hits, while walking four and striking out five Daytona hitters.

 

Brevard County would cut Daytona's lead to one again in the bottom of the inning on a two-out RBI single by Sergio Miranda that scored Matt Cline.

 

Daytona scored via the long ball again in the top of the seventh. Following a lead-off ground-rule double by Luis Flores off of Daniel Meadows, Brett Jackson crushed the first pitch he saw over the right field wall to give the Cubs a 5-2 lead.

 

Brandon Ritchie relieved Meadows in the eighth and did not fare much better as he allowed one run in the eighth and three in the ninth.

 

The Manatees will look to end a seven-game losing streak beginning on Thursday night at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central), as they open up a four-game series in Viera against the Fort Myers Miracle.

 

For fans who can't make it out to Space Coast Stadium for the game, Stephen C. Smith of SpaceCoastBaseball.com will be calling the action via webcast.

 

Manatees starter Wily Peralta went five innings and allowed three runs, all earned on four hits. He also walked four and struck out five, but got the loss as Brevard County fell 9-3 on Wednesday night at Space Coast Stadium. It was the Manatees seventh straight defeat. (Dennis Greenblatt/Hawk-Eye Sports Photography)

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2010/05/27/qT6cOX7h.jpg

[homer]

Did Arnett throw harder in college? Or was he a 90-92 guy there as well?

I thought someone around here said he threw 97 in college.

[Mass Haas]

The Manatees record is only two games better than Florida State League counterpart Jupiter (Marlins), a team which broke a 15-game losing streak Wednesday night.

[battlekow]

Goldstein's summary of Arnett:

The first thing to understand for context is that the Kane County

offense, which in all fairness has been beset by injuries, is downright

horrendous. In its 10 games, Kane County has managed just 17 runs, while

batting .186. That's why Arnett's line looked good, as opposed to

his actual ability. Last year at Indiana University, Arnett's

fastball sat at 91-94 mph while touching 96; last night, he was 89-91

with a couple of 92s and 93s thrown in. His 81-mph slider had good,

albeit a bit slow, break, and much of the problem has been with Arnett's

mechanics. He's anything but direct to the plate, as his leg kick comes

around in a semi-circular motion, bringing his body with it. This

causes him to lose leverage and creates inconsistent landing points. His

command and control suffered as well, with the free-swinging Cougars

bailing him out of several jams. It was difficult to watch at times, as

Arnett was clearly frustrated on the mound, slamming his glove into

return throws by the catcher, stepping off the mound and looking at the

sky at times, and just pitching with anger. It's far too early to make a

judgment call here, but he hasn't been right all year, and it's

certainly a concern. It's not like his stuff isn't good, it's just not

as advertised, and one has to wonder if a move to the bullpen, where he

could tick up the velo on both his fastball and slider, isn't the answer

if his struggles in the rotation continue.

[TheCrew07]

If he's really become that unglued mechanically, why doesn't Tunnell pull him out of the rotation and work with him back in EST? I know that Lee still has a ton of young pitchers to work with and evaluate besides Arnett, but the other starters with high amounts of money invested in them are pitching well, Arnett would seem to be priority #1 to be straightened out. Sometimes you need to take a step back to take 2 steps forward.

 

With all of these young arms the Brewers could really use an extra roving instructor to get more individual instruction to guys like Arnett, Frederickson, Adams, Lintz, and Hall. I just don't see how the minor league coaches have enough time to give everyone as much attention as they require pitching or hitting wise. Being a minor league coach has to be a tough gig for the pay.. all those hopes and dreams of the players and not enough time to help fulfill them.

[And That]

With all of these young arms the Brewers could really use an extra roving instructor to get more individual instruction

I think this is an excellent idea... I don't know why teams generally limit themselves to one roving pitching instructor, one coordinator, etc. There must be someone or multiple someones else out there in the baseball world worth the nominal salary to help these young pitchers out. Seems like a good investment to me.

[battlekow]

I'd like to volunteer for the position. I don't know anything about pitching, but that doesn't stop me from having lots of opinions about it. You know what they say: "sometimes right, sometimes wrong, always certain".