Your 2010 Helena / Maryvale Brewers

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

BREWIN WITH KUEHN: UCLA alum Dean has plenty to cheer about

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

 

Helena Brewers catcher Brent Dean has been on his cell phone a lot lately since arriving to the Capital City.

 

Dean has been exchanging good luck text messages with his former teammates and coach at his alma mater UCLA, which is in the College World Series for just the third time ever and first since 1997. The Bruins recently picked up their first-ever wins in Omaha, and take the field again tonight against TCU in the Bracket I championship.

 

Dean, who picked off three attempted base stealers at second base in Monday’s season opener, was almost a member of this year’s UCLA squad that began the season 22-0. But when his request for a fifth year of eligibility was denied, Dean was thankful the Brewers came calling.

 

After working out with the team prior to spring training, Dean signed a free-agent contract on the spot and is happy to be in Helena.

 

“I’m excited to be here with this team,” he said. “I definitely would have loved to have been (to the College World Series) when I was in college, but I’m having a good time being here.

 

“Still, it’s nice to have joy for those guys with what they are going through...they have an unbelievable pitching staff.”

 

The native of Torrance, Calif., still keeps in touch with his former teammates and is good friends with several of those aces, like Rob Rasmussen, the lefty who pitched the win against Cal State Fullerton in a Super Regional. He also played with Garett Claypool and Blair Dunlap, and got to know pitcher Gerrit Cole a little last season. The sophomore struck out 13 and carried a one-hitter into the seventh inning in a 6-3 win over the Horned Frogs on Monday.

 

Dean has his own work to do, but has still kept tabs on his college team.

 

“I definitely don’t get to watch too many of their games on TV, but I at least catch replays,” Dean said. “I’m happy for them and I’m pretty excited for the coaching staff there, too. They’ve been working hard to get that program to where it is right now.”

 

UCLA owns a record 106 championships, with the most recent coming by the softball team. The baseball team has never won a title, though, even with well-known alums like Jackie Robinson.

 

Dean said he has received several well wishes from UCLA coach John Savage as he makes the transition from college to pro ball.

 

“We send a lot of texts back and forth, ‘good luck’, ‘hope you have a good series’, this and that,” Dean said. “He sends me advice.”

 

Comeback kids

 

The Brewers trailed by four and five runs, respectively, in their first two games of the season. Only unlike last year, those deficits didn’t translate into losses.

 

Helena was 4-33 when trailing after eight innings in 2009. This year, the Brewers are 2-0 when down heading to the final stanza, after battling back in the bottom of the ninth to win Monday and Tuesday’s contests in walk-off fashion.

 

The Brewers also rallied to win Wednesday’s game, but did so in the seventh.

 

Key connections

 

Two players on Missoula’s roster hail from Division III Keystone College, which went 30-9 this past spring.

 

Right-hander Victor Lara, who closed out Tuesday’s game, is a former Keystone Giant who was a 34th-round draft pick this month. He was college teammates with Osprey third baseman Eric Groff, who has helped turn a couple of double plays so far in the series. Groff was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 44th round. Four Keystone players were drafted this year.

 

Only one player from the little-known Pennsylvania school had ever donned an Osprey uniform prior to this season.

 

Home-run Hawn

 

Helena first baseman Cody Hawn immediately felt right at home in Kindrick Field, picking up where he left off at the University of Tennessee.

 

The Knoxville, Tenn., native left the school in third on the all-time home run list with 34 long balls after playing just two seasons for the Volunteers.

 

In Hawn’s second game in a Helena Brewers uniform, the lefty hit two solo shots over the wall at Kindrick, one an opposite-field homer. After Tuesday’s game, he credited Helena hitting coach Ned Yost, who gave him tips on his stance earlier in the day.

 

Hawn is second on Tennessee’s single-season homer list, behind Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies. Helton is also a Knoxville native.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Ex-Niceville star Nelson signs with Milwaukee Brewers

Adam Pruiett, Crestview (FL) News Bulletin

 

Jimmy Nelson is officially one of the newest members of the Brew Crew.

 

The former Niceville High School star pitcher made the expected decision to forgo his senior season with the University of Alabama in favor of signing a professional contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, who chose him in the second round of the Major League Baseball draft.

 

“It just seemed like I was ready to take the next step, and the money was right,” Nelson said. “I had a good three years at Alabama and learned a lot. It’s probably the most important three years I’ve had as far as maturity. I think I needed that. It made me ready for the next step.”

 

Nelson flew to Milwaukee on Monday and took his physical Tuesday before signing his contract. That evening, he watched the Brewers take on the Minnesota Twins from the owner’s suite, where he mingled with Milwaukee owner Mark Attanasio and general manager Doug Melvin.

 

“It was kind of surreal,” Nelson said. “I was trying not to be star-struck. I didn’t want it to seem like it was my first rodeo.”

 

Nelson is playing his short-season baseball in Helena, Mont. During a Thursday interview, he was riding on the team bus while “Bull Durham” — the classic minor-league baseball movie starring Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon — was playing in the background.

 

Nelson had a breakthrough season for the Tide as a junior, compiling a 9-3 record in 17 starts. The 6-foot-6 right-hander boasted a 4.01 ERA and a team-best 98 strikeouts while also throwing three complete games.

 

Nelson said negotiating with Milwaukee on a contract “wasn’t a very complicated or long process.” He and the Brewers had agreed on a price the day of the draft, and the team honored that figure.

 

Nelson’s emotions were in check while signing his pro contract. He viewed it largely as a beginning, not an end.

 

“It was kind of mixed feelings,” Nelson said. “I was happy because it’s something I worked years and years for. But it’s not my final dream or destination. It’s just a steppingstone. My goal is to get to the Major Leagues and win at the highest level.

 

“ … I don’t feel like I’m close to pleased with what I’ve accomplished so far.”

 

Nelson believes his first start in Helena will be Tuesday. Since he pitched 110 innings for Alabama, Nelson said his pitch count will likely be around 35 pitches and his starts probably won’t last beyond two or three innings.

 

“They’re looking at the long haul, not just this season,” Nelson said.

 

While Nelson’s goal is to pitch for Milwaukee’s big club, the 21-year-old hurler isn’t going to set a goal anytime soon on when that will happen.

Said Nelson: “This year is more of a learning year and getting acclimated to the lifestyle.”

 

Alabama's Jimmy Nelson pitches against Georgia Tech during the first inning of an NCAA regional tournament baseball game June 5, 2010, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)

[Mass Haas]

Pioneer League notebook

By Gordon Buchanan / Special to MLB.com

The Pioneer League team in the smallest market is the one making the biggest splash to start the 2010 season.

The Helena Brewers, Milwaukee's short-season Rookie-league affiliate, are red hot at 8-2 after taking two of three games from the Billing Mustangs earlier this week, including yet another come-from-behind victory Monday.

Despite their success, the team understands that it needs to stay focused and motivated.

"We can't get too full of ourselves," said second baseman Shea Vucinich, who delivered a decisive two-run double in the eighth inning Monday. "Right now we've got to keep working."

The team seems to have rallied behind manager Joe Ayrault, who is in his first year with the Brewers after coming over from the Florida State League. Helena general manager Paul Fetz believes Ayrault's enthusiasm is a large part of the club's recent success.

"We have always had good managers in the past," Fetz said. "But Joe loves what he is doing, and he is enthusiastic, and the young players really seem to have gotten behind him."

Fetz said he thinks the group of players the team has right now is one that the community of Helena, with its modest population of about 25,000, can embrace and enjoy.

"These guys are confident in what they're doing," he said. "A lot of people seem to think we are headed in the right direction and are excited about it."

Ayrault believes the most important factors leading to the team's success is the chemistry of the players and the support of the coaching staff, not only in baseball but also in being a professional.

"From day one of Spring Training, we knew these guys were ready to play," Ayrault said. "We want to support them and let them know we are in their corner. They're fired up right now, and really have some great team chemistry."

The team now has the challenge of continuing its brilliant play over the long haul. Vucinich, a 20th-round pick who played at Washington State last year, said the transition from college to the pros is one that he is getting used to by the day.

"In college, you would have weekend series and have the whole week to prepare for it," he said. "Now, it's a grind. You're playing almost everyday."

Vucinich, who is batting .382 with two homers and nine RBIs in nine games, said that pro ball is different than what he expected, that the team is playing a very unselfish brand of baseball.

"I talked to a lot of guys who had been through it in years past," he said. "But it is better than I expected. They made it sound like it was all an individual game, but this team is playing together as one right now."

The team is putting a product on the field that it's fans are quite pleased with. Mike Morris, who recently moved to Helena from Great Falls, said he sees Major League talent in some of the players.

"Carlos George reminds me of Ichiro when he runs the bases," he said. "He looks like a gazelle out there. These guys have a pretty good team so far, and they don't let themselves get down."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Showtime for Dexter

Brewers sign North Forsyth graduate

By B.J. Corbitt, forsythnews.com (Georgia)

 

Whether he ever pitches an inning in the big leagues, Dexter Bobo is farther along the path than most people will ever be able to claim.

 

Bobo (North Forsyth High School, 2006) signed a free agent contract with the Milwaukee Brewers following this year’s Major League Baseball draft, and is spending the summer in the desert pitching for the National League club’s rookie team.

 

After Bobo failed to get picked up in the draft, one of his college coaches — Georgia Southern assistant Mike Tidick — stepped in to help the 22-year-old pursue his pro ball aspirations. Tidick made a few phone calls on his behalf, Bobo said, ultimately resulting in a contract with Milwaukee.

 

“He basically set everything up for me, made all the phone calls and everything,” Bobo said.

 

Bobo signed with Milwaukee on June 12 and flew out to Arizona the following day. He’s now a lefty reliever on the Brewers’ Rookie League team, the AZL Brewers, located in Phoenix.

 

As part of the Arizona League, the AZL Brewers play all their games against nearby clubs. Bobo said the team doesn’t have to travel more than 45 minutes to get to away games.

 

The Rookie League season is a short one, having started in late June and ending in August. From there, the parent club makes decisions about promoting guys to other minor league clubs within the organization.

 

With the AZL Brewers out to an 8-0 start entering Thursday, Bobo had made two appearances so far, giving up no runs on four hits with six strikeouts in four innings of work.

 

The searing Arizona heat has forced Bobo to make at least one lifestyle change — he’s given up all carbonated drinks to stay hydrated in the desert climate.

 

“Coaches really push us to drink as much water as we can drink,” he said.

 

Bobo has no idea what the future holds for him, but he seems determined to just enjoy the experience.

 

“[i’m] just kind of going with the flow, I guess. I’m out here living the dream,” he said.

 

NOTE: Needs to be interviewed by ESPN Milwaukee's Homer with that line...

 

“It’s an experience. I’m having a lot of fun out here. I’m trying not to take it too seriously. That way I don’t get too worked up if things don’t work out.”

 

Bobo was taken by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 44th round of the 2009 draft, but turned down the offer to return to Georgia Southern for his senior season.

 

He recorded a team-best 10 saves for the Eagles this past season, striking out 36 batters and holding opponents to a .274 batting average in 45.2 innings. He finished his college career ranked fifth in career saves (13) and tied for fifth in single season saves (10) for Georgia Southern.

 

Photo courtesy of SoCon Photos

Dexter Bobo prepares to throw a pitch for Georgia Southern University.

http://media.morristechnology.com/mediafilesvr/upload/forsythnews/sports/media/sports-bobo2.jpg

 

Photo courtesy of Georgia Southern Athletics

Dexter Bobo delivers a pitch for Georgia Southern University last season. The North Forsyth graduate recently signed a free agent contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.

http://media.morristechnology.com/mediafilesvr/upload/forsythnews/sports/media/sports-bobo3.jpg

 

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

BREWIN' WITH KUEHN

Bivens making up for lost time on diamond

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

 

John Bivens is pure athlete — a 6-foot-2, 210-pound specimin as Helena Brewers manager Joe Ayrault likes to call him.

 

It’s evidenced in his speed and shown in his powerful arm. Like in Wednesday’s game, when he threw a bullet from left field to get a Great Falls player out at home plate. Rarely does he need a cutoff man, easily getting the ball across the infield.

 

Still, Bivens had just four hits in his last 23 at-bats heading into Thursday night’s game. He’s been caught stealing five times because his sliding could use a little work. They’re fundamental things that can be forgiven, however, considering how little action the 22-year-old has seen on the diamond these past few years.

 

Injuries, knee surgery and a stint playing college football limited Bivens’ time playing the sport he says was his first love.

 

Coming out of high school in Prince George, Va., Bivens had an opportunity to sign a contract to play pro ball, but said he never could come to monetary terms on his contract.

 

“(The University of) Virginia had prestigious academics and I was promised the chance to play football and baseball and that swayed my decision,” he said. “That, and I figured I could get my degree.”

 

After Cavaliers football coach Al Groh saw tape of Bivens, the three-sport prep athlete was offered a place on the team on the spot. It came as a surprise to Bivens, who missed out on the year high school athletes are primarily recruited after sitting out the junior grid season to focus on baseball.

 

“I was told I was going to have the opportunity to play both sports as soon as I set foot on campus and unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way,” recalled Bivens, who saw action in seven games with UVA, mostly on special teams. “I lost two years of baseball because of it then last year ran into a couple injuries and left the football team on my own terms.”

 

Bivens joined the baseball team in 2009, but only had 25 plate appearances. He then transferred to Virginia State to play baseball this past spring, and was drafted by Milwaukee in the 12th round last month.

 

“I couldn’t ask for a better story, because baseball was always my first love,” Bivens said. “It’s my passion. What I always wanted to do was be a pro baseball player. God has been really good to me, he’s blessed me with this opportunity and I love that I can just solely focus on baseball. It’s great to be able to get my career started and just try to get better everyday.”

 

Bivens has gotten some advice from a former Helena Brewer, Mike Roberts. Roberts and Bivens grew up together in the same hometown and Bivens considers him a good friend.

 

“He and his whole family really took me in,” he said. “I’m like an extended part of their family, I talk to him all the time.

 

“He tells me to just get out there, stay focused, and play ball.”

 

Strasburg’s big fans

 

There are two pitchers on the Great Falls Voyagers’ roster that say the transition from college to professional baseball was not all that difficult.

 

Maybe that’s because they were teammates with a big-league caliber player at San Diego State.

 

Goldy Simmons was drafted in 2009 by the White Sox, the same year Aztecs ace Stephen Strasburg was taken first overall by the Washington Nationals. Addison Reed, who closed games for Strasburg at San Diego State then followed in the stars’ footsteps as the team’s ace, joined Simmons on the Great Falls roster this year after being drafted in the third round.

 

The two have nothing but good things to say about their former teammate, and weren’t the least bit surprised Strasburg had the successful start he did in the majors.

Nor did they mind playing second fiddle to the phenom in college.

 

“I thought it was awesome being around a guy getting that much attention,” said Simmons, who is 2-0 with a 2.89 ERA for the Voyagers this season. “It honestly felt like being around a big-leaguer the whole time...it was cool to go out there and know you were playing with a guy that’s elite.”

 

Simmons said Strasburg serves as inspiration to rookie hurlers in the minors, guys trying to get where he is even if they’re not taking the same fast track.

 

“He’s a perfect example of hard work pays off,” Simmons said.

 

Reed was an All-American who led the nation in saves in 2009 while closing for Strasburg. Now, he’s back in a starting role for Great Falls. He has a 4.50 ERA in two starts this season. He said he still keeps in touch with Strasburg.

 

“It’s awesome to just see what he’s going to do next,” Reed said.

 

Strasburg gets the nod for the Nationals tonight. He is 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA in six starts. He has struck out 53 and walked eight in 36 2/3 innings.

 

“Playing with him was just kind of like another teammate; after that you see him on ESPN everyday,” Reed said. “It was kind of weird at first.

 

“A guy like him doesn’t come around often, and I don’ t know if there’s been a pitching prospect that’s had as much attention as he has.”

 

Familiar faces

 

Helena’s Cody Hawn and Great Falls’ Stephen McCray both played their college ball at the University of Tennessee last season. Helena hurler Jimmy Nelson and Voyagers second baseman Ross Wilson were teammates for three seasons at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Great Falls catcher Rafael Vera attended the same high school in Sarasota, Fla., as Brewers manager Joe Ayrault, and Vera’s dad later worked as a trainer on the same squad as the Helena skipper.

 

Saying goodbye

 

Former Helena Brewer Geoff Jenkins will retire as a Milwaukee Brewer today. He ranks second in the big league team’s franchise history with 212 home runs. Jenkins, who won a World Series ring with Philadelphia in 2008, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch tonight when Milwaukee takes on the Pirates.

[battlekow]

Sunday profile: Greg Holle

Andrew Santillo/Troy Record

 

CBA graduate and former South Troy Dodgers pitcher Greg Holle signed with the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. He travels to Phoenix to take a physical and to throw with the Brewers’ rookie league affiliate in the Arizona League on Monday.

 

Holle was drafted in the 11th round of the 2010 MLB First Year Player Draft and decided to skip his senior season at Texas Christian University.

 

Greg’s father, Gary, who played briefly in the majors with the Texas Rangers, started his pro career with the Brewers.

 

Age: 21

 

What’s on TV: The First 48. It’s a murder show on A&E. Also, Locked Up (MSNBC’s prison documentary show). That’s a lot of the stuff we watch on the road in hotels. I’d also say Family Guy.

 

What’s in my IPod: A lot of country. I listen to a lot of Texas and Oklahoma artists. I’m also an AC/DC fan too. I saw them in concert.

 

Favorite Flicks: No Country for Old Men. Tombstone. The new Rambo.

 

What magazines I’m reading: Men’s Fitness

 

Bookmarks: Facebook. gofrogs.cstv.com (TCU’s athletic website). YouTube.

 

Love to trade places for a day with: Nolan Ryan

 

First Job: mowing lawns

 

Talent I’d most like to have: I have two. I want to be bilingual and I want to learn to play the guitar.

 

Favorite Meal: My mom makes this Shepard’s [sic] pie with potato, corn and ground beef.

 

Favorite place to visit: Anywhere near the beach. I like Texas a lot, I live here now, but any sort of beach town or beach city.

 

Favorite sports teams: Growing up I was a huge Shawn Kemp and Ken Griffey Jr. fan, so I liked the (Seattle) SuperSonics and (Seattle) Mariners, but now I have to say the Brewers.

 

My Motto: One I heard and have stuck to a little bit is ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.’

 

Heroes: Both of my parents.

 

My Bucket List: I want to play in the major leagues obviously. I also wouldn’t mind having a year to travel. I’d like to see Europe. As far as something high-risk, I would say skydiving.

 

Favorite Restaurant: There’s a steakhouse down here (Fort Worth) called H3 Ranch (Hunter Brothers’ H3 Ranch).

 

Best Sports Moment — individually: The (College) World Series. Honestly nothing tops that and the way we did it, to beat Texas in Austin. To make history (TCU had never advanced to the College World Series) and have it be in what ended up being my last year was great.

 

Best Sport Moment — team: We put up an eight-spot in the top of the 8th inning against Florida State with two outs. (After trailing 7-2, TCU defeated Florida State 11-7 in an elimination game of the College World Series)

 

Favorite Pitch: It’s probably my fastball. I like to challenge guys.

 

Favorite Stadium you’ve played in: I got to pitch in the old Yankee Stadium. (Holle pitched in front of Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman, who drafted Holle in the 35th round of the 2007 draft, coming out of CBA). Aside from that — Rosenblatt Stadium (in Omaha, the site of the College World Series).

 

Batter of any era you’d want to face: Another pitcher (laughing). It has to be (Ken) Griffey Jr. because he was sort of my idol growing up.

 

http://images.townnews.com/troyrecord.com/content/articles/2010/07/10/sports/doc4c391d712677b515601732.jpg

[battlekow]

LaTroy Hawkins will rehab with the AZL Brewers on Thursday.

[battlekow]

This article is from June 30th, but it's got some interesting content.

 

Johnson makes decision to sign with the Brewers

Joel Coleman/Starkville Daily News

Former Starkville High standout R.J. Johnson has inked a professional contract with the Milwaukee Brewers and will join the rookie level Arizona League Brewers today in Phoenix.

 

The Starkville Daily News All-Area Player of the Year signed Sunday, a little over two weeks since being selected in the 36th round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Milwaukee club.

 

Johnson, who in recent days has been mulling his options trying to figure out whether to head to college or sign with the Brewers, says the deal he signed gives him the chance to do both.

 

“They’re gonna pay for my school,” said Johnson. “I was going to school either way it went, but why not play baseball in the summer and go to school in the offseason?” Brewers area scout Joe Mason says the signing package will pay Johnson “quite a lot of money” as part of a college scholarship agreement.

 

“He’ll be able to go to school and go wherever he wants to go with it,” said Mason.

 

Another key sticking point in negotiations, as indicated by Johnson after being drafted, was whether or not he would be given the chance to swing the bat.

 

Though he was drafted as a pitcher after posting a 4-2 record with a 2.73 earned run average and 83 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings pitched for Starkville in 2010, Johnson wanted a chance to prove himself offensively in a lineup each day. He hit .493 with 13 home runs and 44 RBIs this past season for the Yellowjackets.

 

Mason said Johnson’s wish to hit will be granted when he gets to Phoenix.

 

“We’re going to definitely give him a chance to (hit and pitch),” said Mason. “We’ll try and get him 10, 12, or 15 at-bats a week and he’ll work with pitching too. It’s gonna be tough on him but we’ll let it play out and see which way he needs to go.”

 

By signing, Johnson becomes the first Starkville High baseball player to go pro straight out of school since Jackets head coach Danny Carlisle took over in the mid-1980s.

Carlisle says he was filled with pride when Johnson signed and had some advice for his former star.

 

“I told him to make the most of it,” said Carlisle. “I told him not to leave any stone unturned. Personally, I think he made a good decision (to sign). If he can make a living playing ball, what a great life.”

 

For Johnson to maintain the professional lifestyle, he’ll first have to succeed in Phoenix. Yet it won’t just be on-field challenges that present themselves to the newest Brewers minor leaguer as Johnson must adjust to life away from Starkville.

 

Carlisle thinks Johnson can tackle those issues and make it just fine.

 

“It’s gonna be different for him,” said Carlisle. “He’s not going to have his parents or his grandmother there. He won’t have all his buddies around, but I really feel like he’s going to do well. While he’s out there, maybe he’ll get some time off and get to explore that part of the United States a little bit too.”

[Never Outhustled]

The Brewers must really think highly of this young man to draft him as a pitcher but to later agree to also let him hit to get him to sign. It will be interesting to see his signing bonus, as they haven't spent extra on anyone so far. New rules last year allowed 2 signings of $250 K after round 5 without commisioners intervention. I'm guessing RJ got that. Hopefully works out as well as one of last years $250 K signings, Scooter Gennet.

[battlekow]

The Brewers must really think highly of this young man to draft him as a pitcher but to later agree to also let him hit to get him to sign. It will be interesting to see his signing bonus, as they haven't spent extra on anyone so far. New rules last year allowed 2 signings of $250 K after round 5 without commisioners intervention. I'm guessing RJ got that. Hopefully works out as well as one of last years $250 K signings, Scooter Gennet.

I wonder what Keeling's bonus was.

[UeckerPowell]

According to Jim Callis there have been no official deals over 150K

after the fifth round yet.

 

• [tt]

Steve (Wilmington): When
do the floodgates open
with the Commissioner's office approving above slot signings (i.e.
above the 150K deals they don't hassle you about)? Less than 6 weeks
from the deadline right now I think.[/tt]

 

 

Jim Callis: Late this month. It

has been interesting. I

had heard from teams that slots were up this year, somewhere between

2008 and 2009, but almost everyone who has signed in the first five

rounds has not exceeded the 2009 slots. No official deals over 150K

after the fifth round, though UCLA coaches confirmed to Aaron Fitt that

24th-rounder Erik Goeddel has agreed to terms with the Mets.

MLBTradeRumors.com reported the deal as being worth third-round money.

MLB hasn't officially approved the transaction yet, though.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Ouch!

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

 

It was one of those days that makes you question what you’re doing with your life.

 

Reggie Keen was a marketing and sales intern for the Danville Braves in Virginia, a rookie affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. After volunteering to do a mascot appearance at a local preschool and daycare, and dancing around as Blooper the bird for an hour in a hot costume, Keen walked to his car with one thought on his mind.

 

“I’ll never get back in this suit. I don’t know why I volunteered to do this,” Keen recalled last week.

 

When Keen checked his cell phone when he got to his car, he found five missed calls from an unknown number. One phone call later, and he was signing a free agent contract with the Milwaukee Brewers and assigned to Helena of the Pioneer League.

 

“I’m like, ‘sure’, anything right now except for being in that suit!” Keen said. “I was pretty excited about that, it all worked out. Now looking back at it and telling the story, it adds to the humor.”

 

It wasn’t as though Keen hated his job. He had earned a degree in sports administration at Radford University, so a job with a minor league team in his hometown was the ideal backup plan for the athlete who had hoped to get drafted and wasn’t. Once Keen’s baseball career comes to a close — however soon or distant that may be — he has every intention of going back into sports marketing.

 

“I want to design promotions and sign up different sponsorships for eventually a major league ball club,” he said. “I enjoyed working (in Danville), and they enjoyed me being there, but they were happy to see me go on and play ball.”

 

Keen admits he was disappointed when pick after pick was called in the June amateur draft and his name never was. He had spoken with scouts for the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals and thought playing pro ball was a real possibility.

 

“As you see the names come by, you’re seeing some friends, people you’ve played against, and you’re excited for them and you’re thinking I should be next,” Keen said. “But as it went on and on, I kind of got down...In the end, it still went my way.”

 

***

 

Keen has been told by his parents that he virtually lived in the backyard with a bat in his hands at age 5, though that’s not the thing he remembers from his childhood.

 

“I used to go to my dad’s work league softball games at midnight,” he said. “My mom would drop me off and I would watch him play.”

 

Keen said that is what drove him to begin playing baseball, and he’s been involved in the sport year-round since he was 12, beginning with AAU ball. He also played city league football and basketball, and swam on the YMCA team when he was 12, but when he didn’t make the high school basketball team he decided to keep his focus primarily on baseball.

 

The Helena Brewers couldn’t be happier about that.

 

Keen has the third-highest batting average on the team, hitting .348. He leads the team in runs scored with 20 and is second on the team in stolen bases with four. He pinch ran in the first two games of the season and scored both times, then in his first appearance at the plate went 3 for 4 with a double and 3 RBIs.

 

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect (to do that well),” Keen said. “I knew I had the ability to do so...it was pretty exciting to have a debut like I did.”

 

Keen said the transition from college to pro ball has been an easy one for him. At Radford, he finished his career with a .355 average, the fourth-best in school history. Keen also became the first player in Radford program history to steal 30 bases in a season, after earning 31 thefts as a senior.

 

“While I’m here, I’m going to try to play my hardest and try to put up the numbers so maybe one day they’ll move me up,” Keen said last week before the injury. “Right now, I’m just having fun.”

 

Both Brewers manager Joe Ayrault and hitting coach Ned Yost IV have been impressed with the 22-year-old’s work ethic. Keen estimates he puts in 5-8 hours a day on the field.

 

“I was always told to hustle,” Keen said. “You can’t teach hustle. I was captain in high school and college and had to lead by example...it comes natural now because I’m just used to doing it.”

 

“He’s always busting his butt,” Yost said. “Fly balls and everything is 100 percent. He works on his routes, his throws...it’s awesome to watch.”

 

***

 

Yost has spent countless hours helping young hitters with their swing, working on mechanics in the cages and fixing stances. But when it comes to Keen, Yost said he hasn’t had to do much teaching.

 

“He’s come in and he’s swinging the bat well and I haven’t really even had to fool with him because he’s been doing a good job,” Yost said. “I just kind of let him do what he needs to do to get ready and that’s about it, really.”

 

Yost said other guys on the team could learn a lot about patience by watching Keen, who’s got a keen eye at the plate.

 

“He waits for a pitch he wants to hit and when he gets it, he usually hits it pretty well,” Yost said.

 

Keen is a big reason why the Brewers are hitting .282 as a team, tops in the Pioneer League’s North Division. Coaches said it’s a mystery as to why he slipped through without getting drafted. They’re thrilled that the Brewers organization was able to get such a diamond in the rough.

 

“It’s definitely an exceptional find,” Yost said. “Everytime you get an undrafted guy you’re not really sure what you’ve got, but he turned some heads the first day he was here ... I haven’t really seen a flaw yet.”

 

***

 

At 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Keen is the smallest player on the team. Because of that, the guy with more of a point guard’s build may not be the most intimidating of players to opposition at first glance. Just wait until you see him swing.

 

“You look at him and he doesn’t look very big, but he’s strong and when he gets ahold of it he can drive it out of the park,” Yost said. Keen has one homer this year.

 

“He reminds me of a shorter Doug Glanville,” Ayrault said, comparing his star to his former fall league teammate who went on to a successful career in the majors. “He’s got speed, good stroke. Same type of attitude, very intelligent. Just the way he plays the game.”

 

Ayrault can’t say enough good things about his outfielder, who was recently moved from right field to center when Franklin Romero Jr. was promoted to high Class A.

 

“He’s an all-around solid player,” the Brewers skipper said. “He came in with a great attitude, then he goes out there the first day and he’s running the bases and we’re like ‘wow, this guy can fly.’ Then he takes a round of BP and he’s got a short, compact swing and can hit the ball all over the whole field.

 

“Then you see him out in the outfield, he’s got a clutch arm. You combine all that, we’ve got a great guy.”

 

Keen has held a steady place as the leadoff man for Helena since the third game, with the exception of the four games he missed after pulling a groin in Great Falls. Now, the Brewers will once again have to be without Keen after the outfielder was hit in the hand by a pitch from Billings’ Porfirio Martinez on Sunday.

 

Photo by Paul Ruhter Billings Gazette - Reggie Keen grimaces in pain after breaking his left hand by being hit by a pitch during Sunday’s game.

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/b/c4/543/bc4543f8-8e6b-11df-a476-001cc4c03286-revisions/4c3c43c24238e.image.jpg

[Mass Haas]

This helps explain why big 6'4", 235 lb. RHP Ryan Bernal, the Brewers' 23rd round pick out of Florida Atlantic, has struggled in his last two outings.

 

FAUOwlAccess.com:

 

Bernal is dealing with a sore back and hasn’t pitched for the rookie league's Helena Brewers since June 30.

[battlekow]

Brewin' with Kuehn: Garman’s confidence evident in his pitches

Amber Kuehn/Helena Independent Record

At the close of the Helena Brewers’ seven-game homestand, closer Brian Garman had struck out 13 of the last 18 batters he faced.

 

He picked up his third save of the season on July 17 by fanning Orem’s hottest hitter, Andrew Heid. Garman, who just turned 22 on July 19, owns a 0.64 ERA.

 

Has he improved since day one? You bet. But to the naked eye, a fan would be unable to tell what has changed.

 

“It’s probably not anything that anyone else would notice,” the modest Garman said last week. “I’m starting to do things now for me, and I’m back to where I’m starting to get comfortable.”

 

It wasn’t so much a mechanical adjustment Garman had to make to his pitches, but rather a mental change. The southpaw drafted in the 17th round out of the University of Cincinnati admits he didn’t feel he belonged in the pros at first, was worried about how he’d relate to other guys in the clubhouse and didn’t have confidence in his pitches.

 

“There are guys that, their stuff might not be that good, but if they believe it is then they end up having better results than guys who probably have better stuff, but don’t believe in it,” said Garman, whose slider and fastball have vastly improved. “My slider’s been my go-to pitch. It took me two or three years to learn how to pitch with that pitch ... That’s been huge. I say without that, I’m probably not here.”

 

Confidence in his slider and better fastball location is what has opponents swinging and missing. The Wapakoneta, Ohio, native said he doesn’t think of himself as a strikeout guy, just one who aims to get ground balls.

 

“The strikeouts just happen — how long that streak continues, I have no idea,” Garman said, adding that he needs to be able to command all four of his pitches, not just rely on two. He said he’s still struggling with the changeup. “It’s a lot better than it was, but nowhere near where it needs to be.”

 

Baseball’s 95 percent mental, according to Garman, and perhaps nobody believes that more than pitchers.

 

“Everybody that’s considered a pitcher in that locker room knows how to pitch,” Garman said, motioning toward the Brewers’ clubhouse. “What sets a guy apart, I feel, is not the God-given ability, but a guy’s desire to set himself apart from a group. It’s what he’s willing to do when nobody’s looking.”

 

That’s something not lost on Helena pitching coach Elvin Nina. He has noticed Garman often spends his time working on little things that could easily be overlooked and that, he believes, is why his confidence has grown.

 

“I think as a coach you tend to believe more in a player than the player does in himself,” Nina said. “But he’s riding a wave of confidence right now and we try to put him in a situation where he can succeed.”

 

Garman is not afraid to enter the ballgame at any point, whether that means trying to dig his team out of a big deficit or trying to maintain the lead.

 

“He’s a great, back-end-of-a-ballgame type pitcher,” manager Joe Ayrault said. “I’m very happy having him on the mound late in a game.”

 

And when in, Garman said he tries to do everything asked of him.

 

“Just so at the end of the day I can look myself in the mirror and know that I gave it everything I had,” he said. “And that, more than anything else, is the mental edge I think I need.”

 

LEAGUE LEADERS

 

Helena’s Cody Hawn may not be the fastest guy on the team, nor be a threat to steal. But the Brewers’ first baseman has affectionately been dubbed “The Cheetah” by broadcaster Steve Wendt, because of his quick reflexes when it comes to fielding shots hit hard in his direction.

 

Still, it’s no secret where Hawn has helped the team the most.

 

“The bat’s my strong suit, no doubt about that,” Hawn said last week.

 

While Hawn doesn’t consider himself a power hitter or situational hitter, the stats say otherwise. The 21-year-old lefty leads the Pioneer League with 15 doubles and 30 RBIs and is tied for third with five home runs (through July 21).

 

“I’ve just been fortunate enough to be put in good situations,” said Hawn, who gives endless credit to Helena hitting coach Ned Yost. “My teammates find ways to get on and I find holes to hit to.”

 

The Brewers’ opponents this series, the Ogden Raptors, have an offensive stud of their own. Catcher Mike Pericht, who at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds appears to have the body of a big-leaguer or linebacker, leads the league with nine homers.

 

He credits a lot of offseason work in the weight room, and is dispelling the notion that catchers are more known for their work behind the plate than at it.

 

“I like to think of myself as not necessarily a power hitter but a hitter with power,” he said. “If you look in the major league, there aren’t too many catchers who are home run-leading type hitters. Joe Mauer maybe, Mike Piazza was one, but (people assume) most catchers are just guys who generally have low batting averages and will hit for singles and doubles.”

 

Los Angeles Angels catcher Mike Napoli has 14 long balls this season, which leads major league catchers. But that is since April, and Pericht already has more than half of that in just a month’s time.

 

“I’m tall and strong,” Pericht said. “If I get any kind of leverage on a ball, it’s got a chance.”

 

MONIKER MADNESS

 

Helena pitcher Stosh Wawrzasek is a candidate for the best name in all of Minor League Baseball in MiLB.com’s fourth annual Minors Moniker Madness bracket tournament.

 

Wawrzasek is up against Beamer Weems of San Antonio (just a nickname) in the first round. Fans can vote online at www.milb.com/madness.

 

Former Brewers third baseman and current Huntsville Stars shortstop Zelous Wheeler is also a candidate for the award.

 

Voting for the first round ends July 26. The winner will be chosen following the final round, which ends Aug. 16.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Different perspective

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

 

John Dishon is a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.

 

If the Helena Brewers outfielder hadn’t fallen asleep behind the wheel as a teenager one fall, he might have went on to a successful career as a college quarterback. If that automobile accident had never happened, he might have decided to go a different route than baseball, might not be one of the hottest hitters in Helena now.

 

But Dishon couldn’t be happier with how his life has turned out. The 21-year-old walked away from a crash that could have killed him, signed a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers after being drafted in the 42nd round, and will marry the love of his life on Jan. 22. He hit his first professional home run on his daughter’s seven-month birthday, with little Parker Leigh in the Kindrick Legion Field stands.

 

“I can’t complain about a thing,” an always-cheery Dishon said last week before batting practice. “I have everything going for me right now.”

 

***

 

It was the autumn of 2005 and Dishon, a junior, was the star quarterback and a running back at Bridge City High School in Beaumont, Texas.

 

It’s no secret that prep football is bigger in Texas than perhaps anywhere else, and Dishon’s team was preparing for the state semifinals.

 

After practice one day the week before the big game, Dishon was driving back to his mom’s house, which was about 30 minutes away from the school.

 

“I set my car on cruise, just fell asleep and woke up driving on the median,” Dishon recalled. The car rolled five or six times, he said, but he would walk away from the crash with only a hairline fracture in his neck and a few bumps and bruises.

 

“I was very fortunate to walk away from that accident because not many people would,” he said. “At first, my adrenaline was pumping right after the wreck. I would say five or 10 minutes after the wreck happened, the adrenaline stopped and the pain kicked in.”

 

The true pain would really kick in when the injury meant Dishon would have to sit out of the semifinal contest and watch his team lose to the eventual state champions. Universities like Louisiana State, Rice and Texas had been recruiting the three-sport athlete (he also ran track) to play both football and baseball collegiately, and the realization that football might now be out of the question was even more painful at first.

 

“I was always serious about baseball, but thought it was kind of boring,” Dishon admitted. “Football, you’re more involved with the sport, there’s more going on, but at the same time there’s more contact and it’s a lot more physical.

 

“Baseball was a safer route with the wreck and everything. I tried playing football my senior year and I just had too much pain. I didn’t feel it was worth the risk to play both sports in college.”

 

With that, Dishon accepted a baseball scholarship to LSU and played three years for the Tigers. With so much talent on the roster, he never did see as much playing time as he would have liked. That’s why being drafted came as somewhat of a surprise to Dishon.

 

“Fortunately the Brewers took a chance on me,” he said. “With my limited at-bats there, maybe they saw something in me that LSU didn’t.”

 

So far, he’s proven to be the right pick. Through July 21, Dishon was leading the team in bunt base hits with eight, was tied for fourth in the Pioneer League with nine stolen bases (a team high), and was batting .312 for the Brewers. He ranks second on the team among active players with 19 runs scored.

 

“He’s just a very good all-around baseball player, and individual off the field,” Helena manager Joe Ayrault said. “The way he carries himself, he’s a great guy to have in the clubhouse.”

 

A lot of Dishon’s success has come on the base paths, and he credits his speed to his prep career as a sprinter. At the plate he’s been a timely hitter, reading situations perfectly.

 

Take the game on July 9 against Great Falls, when Dishon laid down the perfect bases-loaded suicide squeeze bunt in the bottom of the ninth inning to rally the Brewers to a win. Bunting is something he’s been working on, since coaches at LSU told him it was one of his weaknesses.

 

Typically, Ayrault lets Dishon decide when to bunt, and he’s been practically flawless.

 

“He’s one of those guys who’s got a real knack for reading third basemen,” the Brewers skipper told the Independent Record after the game. “I always joke with him, I can’t roll the ball better than that to third base ... he’s very confident in what he’s doing.”

 

And, even when things aren’t always going his way on the diamond, Dishon keeps a good perspective.

 

“Without a doubt, that wreck definitely gave me a different outlook on life,” he said. “I don’t take life for granted. I live everyday like it’s my last with no regrets.”

 

***

 

It’s July 16, and Dishon couldn’t be happier. His fiancee, Kristy Lyn Sanders, and daughter are in Helena for the seven-game homestand.

 

Dishon comes from the batting cages with a big smile on his face, and instantly whisks Parker away from her mom. She’s wearing a big, pink bow on her head and a pink shirt with “Daddy’s Little Girl” on the front and “DISHON 56” on the back.

 

“It’s hard missing my daughter grow up,” he says. “She’s starting to crawl, starting to say her first words. But it’s good to have them here now. She’s becoming a baseball fan; she’s going to be a little sports star.”

 

Technology has made it easier for Dishon to keep in touch with his family, even if he can’t be there for all of Parker’s firsts.

 

“I try to keep him updated with pictures, and we do Skype on the Internet, so Johnny gets to see her,” said Sanders, Dishon’s high school sweetheart. “It’s been really tough, but we’re real supportive of him; we know this has been his dream.”

 

There was a time when he dreamed of a career on the gridiron, too.

 

“I do think about (football) sometimes,” Dishon said. “But everything happens for a reason—I got to do my baseball career here, and now I’ve got a beautiful family and beautiful soon-to-be wife.”

 

“Things like that make you stronger,” Ayrault said. “To get through a car crash like that and to see the guy carrying his daughter out there, those are two big things in your life that make you look at life differently.”

 

Photo by Dylan Brown Independent Record

Helena Brewers’ John Dishon, his fiancee, Kristy Lyn Sanders, and their daughter Parker Leigh are seen here at Kindrick Legion Field. The outfielder survived a rollover accident as a teen, but had to switch his emphasis from football to baseball after injuring his neck.

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/a/74/2a3/a742a312-96e8-11df-a20f-001cc4c002e0-revisions/4c4a8153bdf0b.image.jpg

[battlekow]

MLB.com's Jordan Schelling reports that Jody Gerut will begin a rehab assignment with the AZL Brewers tonight.

[battlekow]

Forgot to mention this the other day. This is from Bill Mitchell, a photographer in Arizona who sees a lot of AZL games:

Two AZL Brewers generating significant prospect buzz: Tyler Roberts ©, Yadiel Rivera (SS). Neither were high picks but lots of potential.

[battlekow]

Here's a photo gallery of some of the AZL Brewers, from the same Bill Mitchell. You can see what some of the newest Brewers look like, plus some other mystery men like Brooks Hall and Jhonatan Javier.

[battlekow]

If a draft pick makes his pro debut, but it's credited to someone else, does it make a sound? RHP Greg Holle hopes so. Remember on Friday when we couldn't figure out why Brooks Hall was listed as pitching two days in a row? Well, it's since been corrected, and it turns out that Friday's starter was actually Holle, who turned in two scoreless innings with two strikeouts in his first career game. Belated congrats, Greg.

[greeg35]

Let me be the first to coin the nickname "Captain" for Rafael. Hopefully Melvin never has to say "apology accepted"

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

BREWIN' WITH KUEHN: Garvey recalls Wild West rodeo days

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

 

Before Robbie Garvey was a Brewer, he was a cowboy.

 

The newest outfielder for the Helena Brewers, who had appeared in 16 games for Helena through Wednesday, only took up baseball seriously beginning in high school. Before that, Garvey was tearing it up in rodeo arenas as a bull rider while growing up in Las Vegas.

 

The youngster took up the sport when he was around 11 years old.

 

“My family was always involved in the country scene, and I had a buddy who was riding steers,” said Garvey, who came to Helena after beginning the season in the Arizona League. “I thought, man, I want to do that.”

 

The 2009 free agent said he became “real good” at riding bulls after taking part in a rodeo program for kids called “Little Britches.” But, Garvey said, family issues and other personal problems would cause him to stop riding.

 

He had tried his hand at tee ball and Little League, but quit after the first year because he didn’t like it. When he walked away from rodeo, he initially gave football a shot.

 

Garvey went on to play both baseball and football at Arbor View High School in Las Vegas and was named first team all-state in both.

 

“I was always the type of person who had to be involved in something,” Garvey said.

 

The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Garvey came to the realization that he was too small to play football in college. He attendeded the Junior College of Southern Nevada and he decided to pursue a career in baseball, a sport entirely different from his hobby growing up.

 

“Bull riding is 100 percent adrenaline and pure stupidity,” he said. “Baseball is calm and relaxed and very in the moment.”

 

Garvey entered Thursday’s game against the Billings Mustangs batting .265 with three stolen bases, then went 3-for-4 to up his average to .292. For the full season, Garvey is hitting .324 in 145 AB's with ten stolen bases in 12 attempts.

 

A place to call home

 

Brewers catcher Tony Pechek feels right at home in Helena. Even though he’s only 23 years of age, Helena is already the sixth stop in Pechek’s baseball career.

 

The 2009 free agent spent his first professional season in the Arizona League, but prior to that played ball at four different colleges.

 

Pechek first attended Wichita State, saying it “was the best opportunity for me. It’s a premier spot to go out of high school.”

 

Pechek only got 23 at-bats in Wichita, and the following fall was once again the third-string catcher and a backup at first base.

 

“I was going to play a little more, but not catching, so I left for (Central Arizona College) a JuCo in Arizona, which was the right choice at the right time.”

 

He then transferred to Creighton, in Omaha, Neb.

 

“I got to play at Rosenblatt Stadium, so it was a cool experience,” he said of the site of the annual College World Series. “It just didn’t really work out, the coaches and I didn’t see eye to eye. I got sick in the fall and didn’t get to practice much, didn’t hit well in the spring. I left there and ended up back at home.”

 

His final season was at Colorado State-Pueblo, where he hit .390 with eight home runs, the second-highest mark on the squad.

 

Pechek got his first professional homer on July 23 at Ogden, with his parents in the stands to see it. He followed that up with another long ball the following day. Pechek, the only position player on the Brewers’ roster who is a switch hitter, was hitting .267 for the Brewers, before being sidelined with a sprained left wrist after catching 13 innings in a 15-inning victory over Great Falls. He is day-to-day.

 

Finally healthy

 

Helena pitcher Eric Marzec has had more than his share of bumps and bruises.

 

The right-hander had his career at Youngstown State interrupted when, as a senior, he collided with a teammate going for a fly ball while Marzec was playing center field. He had a concussion, bleeding on the brain and four broken bones in his face.

 

The injury caused Marzec to miss more than three weeks of games and classes. It wasn’t the first time he’d been hurt, either. He broke his wrist while batting his junior year and never returned to the mound. After his junior season of high school, he had a stress fracture in his hip that required surgery and he was on crutches for six months.

 

Marzec said he finally feels healthy again, and the pitcher is 2-3 for the Brewers, with a 2.40 ERA.

 

“Through college and high school I was a two-way player, playing outfield and pitching,” he said. “I got hurt a lot, banging into walls, hitting and whatnot. Up here I’m just focusing on pitching, and it’s nicer to just be able to focus on doing one job at a time.”

 

Marzec said he feels ready to go each night, and said adjusting to pro ball hasn’t been difficult. The 30th round draft pick played in the Northwoods League, a summer league comprised of the top college players across the country.

 

“It was very similar to pro ball and you’re playing every night,” said Marzec, whose dad played professional hockey and mom played collegiate volleyball.

 

Marzec grew up playing football, soccer and basketball in addition to baseball and still hits up the golf course for 18 when he has the time.

[Mass Haas]

Big first baseman Jason Rogers' old friends at Columbus State (GA) are keeping an eye on him -- link here, but text is pasted below:

 

***

 

The final Cougar on a tear in the minors is the 2010 Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year, Jason Rogers. After producing one of the best single-season's ever at Columbus State University, Rogers has continued his torrid hitting through his first 23 games with the Milwaukee Brewers Rookie League affiliate. He has picked up 30 hits in 86 at bats for a .349 batting average. The Riverdale, GA native has seven extra-base hits, two doubles, one triple and two home runs, has driven in 18 runners and owns a .462 on-base percentage. His focus is turned up a notch in crucial situations as he is hitting a robust .524 with runners in scoring position.

 

"We are extremely happy that Jason got off to such a fast start in the minors," commented head baseball coach Greg Appleton. "There was no doubt in our mind that he could hit; we hope that he stays healthy and productive like he has been so far."

[Mass Haas]

LHP Evan Frederickson's six-inning, no-hit, two walk, 12 K performance on August 4th netted him the Pioneer League's Pitcher of the Week Award.

[battlekow]

Thunder baseball factory churns out another grad

Jim Parker/The Windsor Star

 

There are some things Joel Pierce knows he'll miss now that he's signed with the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

A member of the Tecumseh Thunder midgets, Pierce is headed to Arizona for orientation while his former teammates are headed to the Canadian championship.

 

"They get to go to the Canadians," Pierce said.

 

Aside from chasing championships, Pierce said the three years he spent in the Thunder program played a big role in his development.

 

"(Midget manager Dave Cooper) has been very supportive of what I've done," Pierce said. "He came in and saw my potential and helped me get better."

 

Cooper said Pierce is simply another product who got the rewards of the work he put in.

 

"It's a complete program and not for part-time players," Cooper said. "It's 10 months of baseball with a commitment to self and team."

 

While securing a Major League Baseball contract might be tough, Cooper said players can still set goals.

 

"There are no empty words spoken here," Cooper said. "We can't guarantee scholarships or promise they'll be drafted.

 

"We put the ball in the player's court and it's up to them whether they want to work and do everything necessary to move on."

 

Pierce is just the latest success story from that philosophy. Had he not signed with Milwaukee, Pierce would have attended Coastal Carolina University on a full-ride scholarship.

 

Travis Bondy is headed into his sophomore season at NAIA Notre Dame College in Ohio along with Jesse Carriere while Eric Cunnigham is headed to the school as a freshman.

 

Rob Cooper is transferring to Sierra College in California where he will join his brother Andrew Cooper.

 

Casey Power is at Division III North Carolina Wesleyan while Curtis Lambkin is a NAIA Northwest Ohio University.

 

James Drew is at Division II St. Clair College in Port Huron, Mich., which is also looking at Bryce Doyle.

 

"We focus on preparing these kids for the next level," Cooper said. "When they go, they play and produce and these schools know it.

 

"It's a tribute to what we are doing when kids from our organization are going to schools and the same schools are coming back looking for more."

http://www.windsorstar.com/sports/3378639.bin

(Jason Kryk/The Winsdor Star)

 

[battlekow]

Brewers like Pierce's live arm

Jim Parker/The Windsor Star

 

The Milwaukee Brewers see big things in Joel Pierce’s future.

 

The club’s seventh-round pick in June’s draft, the 17-year-old Pierce has signed with the Brewers for a reported $175,000, which is above the slot money recommended by Major League Baseball.

 

By signing, Pierce walked away from a full-ride scholarship to Coastal Carolina University, but his deal with the Brewers also includes a post-secondary school package.

 

“When I decide to go back to school, it’s taken care of,” Pierce said.

 

The Brewers don’t think that will be anytime soon now that the six-foot-four, 200-pound right-handed pitcher is in the fold.

 

“We’ll take it slow with him, but he could be big in a couple of years,” Brewers scouting director Bruce Seid said.

 

“He’s six-foot-four, throws up to 92 (m.p.h.) and he’s only 17.”

 

Seid, who is originally from Michigan, is familiar with the untapped resources of Canada.

 

“To some degree, it’s an untapped market,” Seid said. “They don’t have the year-round play like a lot of kids in the States. They don’t get seen or the opportunity to be seen as much.”

 

But the Brewers have been following Pierce for quite some time.

 

Aside from an impressive fastball and a changeup, Pierce has also developed a slider.

 

“He developed a slider that improved more over the season and put him over the top (for the Brewers),” Seid said. “That shows some ability. That young, hopefully he’ll have the stuff to be a front-line starter.”

 

Seid saw Pierce at the recent World Youth Baseball Championship and thought he looked tired.

 

He’ll head to Milwaukee’s minor league complex in Arizona next week. The Brewers don’t plan to rush things, but Pierce is hoping to get on the field.

 

“It’s been a long summer since spring, but I’ve had a couple of days to rest and I want to get back on the field,” Pierce said.

 

Playing for Canada, Pierce put negotiations with the Brewers on hold, but his signing beats an Aug. 16 deadline that would have made him ineligible to join the team.

 

“It dragged on for a couple of months,” Pierce said. “I didn’t want to think about it while I was with Team Canada. Once I got back, (negotiations) really started to pick up.”

 

The opportunity to play college ball in the states was intriguing to Pierce, but that would have made him ineligible to be drafted again for three years.

 

“It was tough deciding between college and going pro,” Pierce said. “I just wanted to play pro. To call yourself a professional baseball player is great and I get to start my career off right away and concentrate on that. I don’t have to worry about a test on Friday.”