Your 2010 Helena / Maryvale Brewers

[Mass Haas]

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Pittsfield Lefty Pitching for Brewers' Rookie Team

Nichole Dupont, iBerkshires Staff (North Adams, MA)

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It was not Charly Bashara’s dream to be a pitcher. In fact, the 23-year-old Pittsfield native was more interested in hitting the baseball than throwing it.

 

“At first I didn’t want to be a pitcher, I wanted to hit,” Bashara said in a phone interview last week. “I would pout on the mound, but my coaches and my parents kept me going. Everybody pulled the lefty card because there are so few of us. For me, it took a couple of really good outings to want to pitch.”

 

Apparently all of that hard work has paid off for the Berkshire County southpaw. Bashara signed a professional contract on June 15 with the Milwaukee Brewers to play on the Brewers’ rookie league affiliate in the Arizona League. Since play began last month, Bashara has accumulated a 4-1 record during ten appearances in the Arizona Summer League. He has pitched 39 innings, carrying a 2.54 ERA with 41 strikeouts to just ten walks. But, according to Bashara, his greatest challenge isn’t the competition, it’s the Arizona heat.

 

“We call it the daily grind. The coaches tell us every day that we’ve got to take care of our bodies,” he said. “It’s 100-plus degrees out every day and we can’t treat our bodies poorly.”

 

According to Kevin Stannard, based on what he’s seen so far, Bashara is treating himself pretty well. Stannard, who has coached varsity baseball at Taconic High School (Bashara’s alma mater) for the past 18 years, said, “Charly has never looked better.”

 

“He’s in the best shape I’ve ever seen him,” Stannard said. “He’s working as hard as he can. He’s always been very competitive and he expects a lot from himself. He’s worked hard to get where he is.”

 

Indeed, there have been no breaks for the Pittsfield lefty. Bashara began playing baseball in the YMCA’s Coaches’ Pitch when he was just eight. At the time, he said, it was just for fun.

 

“I think when I was really little baseball was more of just a fun activity,” he said. “My mom and dad wanted to get me into sports. My dad is a big Red Sox fan. As I got older I began to see something to strive for and I felt like I was getting closer to it.”

 

Mary Vasquez-Slack and Charly's brother Jeff had a chance to see him play last month.

 

"We took a trip to the Grand Canyon and the next day we lucked out and saw him start his first game," she said. "He pitched seven innings [the most in a single game], struck out seven batters and got the win against the Mariners!"

 

Her son's loved playing ball since Little League, when, she said, he first showed signs of talent.

 

"I am beyond proud of him and his accomplishments, but what impresses me most is his persistent pursuit to fulfill his dream," said Mary Bashara. "I think he's an amazing person and great ball player and look forward to see him move up the ranks."

 

As Charly Bashara focuses on perfecting his game, Stannard was proudly watching the progression of his star player.

 

“He hit third for us and played outfield when he wasn’t pitching. He was actually a pretty good hitter,” Stannard said. “But you could tell he was going to pitch. He had good velocity. Most teams around here didn’t want to face him. He pitched in the high 70s and low 80s. He topped out at 91 miles per hour.”

 

After graduating from Taconic, Bashara went on to play college ball at Northeastern University, where he became a four-year varsity contributor for the Huskies finishing with a career 7-6 record and racking up 117 strikeouts. When school was out of session, Bashara spent summers playing ball for the Pittsfield Dukes in the New England Collegiate Baseball League and the Geneva Red Wings in the New York Collegiate Baseball League. He said the last four years have readied him for his newfound career with the Brewers.

 

“Northeastern definitely prepared me for this level of competition,” Bashara said. “The last five years have helped me see what kind of talent is coming in. Sure, I have a little ‘nerves.’ But you definitely see how you’re going to fit in with the team pretty quickly. I’m actually one of the older players so that keeps me on a pretty even keel. Right now I’m still having fun. I like it when I’m out there performing and doing what I do best. Playing ball is what I want to do.”

 

Charly Bashara on the mound against the Mariners last month in this photo taken by his mother, Mary.

 

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[Mass Haas]

Team Canada's Pierce hoping for success south of the border

TSN

 

Toronto, Canada (Sports Network) - Joel Pierce can breath easy now that he's landed a summer job.

 

The 17-year-old found a minute somewhere between competing against the best 18-and-under baseball players at the Worlds and signing a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers to reflect on the opportunity to play professional baseball for a living.

 

"It feels really weird when I get asked 'What's your job?'" said Pierce, from his home in Windsor. "For people my age, usually a summer job is McDonald's or something. But I get to say I'm a professional baseball player and it's something I'm really proud of."

 

The Brewers inked their seventh-round pick from June's MLB Draft to a contract reportedly worth $175,000 over the weekend, just before the August 16 deadline.

 

For Pierce, deciding to go pro or accepting a full scholarship to Coastal Carolina University to play ball was no easy task.

 

"It was a tough decision. After the World Juniors I was thinking about going to school and I was really weighing it as an option. I talked it over with my parents [but] deep down, I really wanted to play pro ball.

 

"So I decided to sign."

 

He did so after a disappointing fourth-place finish for Canada's Junior National Team earlier this month at the 2010 IBAF World Junior Baseball Championship in Thunder Bay, Ont. Despite finishing ahead of the United States and reigning champion South Korea, Team Canada had a golden opportunity to reach the podium but fell just short.

 

"You finish higher than them and you usually win the gold," said the right-hander.

 

The Windsor, Ont. native from Vincent Massey Secondary School appeared in three games at the Worlds, allowing no runs and striking out three in four innings of work. Pierce threw two scoreless innings to pick up the win in Canada's 9-2 victory over Panama during round robin play.

 

"The experience was amazing," said Pierce. "It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in a World Junior Championship. I really enjoyed it. We didn't medal which was disappointing, but fourth in the world is nothing to be mad about."

 

Pierce will head down to the Brewers' minor league complex next week for a physical and from there he'll begin a throwing program to help prepare him for instructional ball in Arizona this fall.

 

He credited Greg Hamilton, the head coach and director of Baseball Canada's national teams, for a rigorous schedule that had the junior team traveling across the Americas and competing against high-level talent in preparation for the Worlds.

 

"Going down to Orlando and the Dominican, it's not exactly the same, but it's pretty similar," he said. "You get up early every morning, you practice, you work, breath everything baseball during the day. It just really helped with me feeling prepared and ready to go pro. If I wasn't with the national team and I didn't do any of that, I'd have no clue what I'm getting into. I would just be totally nervous and it would be all brand new."

 

Scouts have described the 6-4, 200-pound Pierce as a high-ceiling pitcher with the ability to succeed at the next level. The right-hander's arsenal of pitches include a live fastball topping out in the low-to-mid 90s, a good changeup and a slider that's a work in progress.

 

Pierce said working on his breaking pitches and developing a consistent delivery are at the top of his to-do list south of the border.

 

"I have to be at the top of my game to be able to perform [against the stiffer competition]."

 

After nearly two years on the road of traveling with the junior team, Pierce isn't ready to settle down and unpack his suitcase just yet.

 

If the young hurler experiences the type of success expected of him, he'll be away from home much longer.

 

"I can't really complain too much," he said about life on the road.

 

His friends, they'd probably agree.

[Mass Haas]

Brewers extend player development contract with Rookie Helena Brewers

MLB.com

The Milwaukee Brewers announced today a two-year player development contract extension with the Helena Brewers of the Rookie Pioneer League through the 2012 season.

 

"We are very pleased to extend our player development contract with the Helena Brewers," said Brewers Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Melvin. "The Pioneer League provides a competitive experience for our younger players. Many of the players in our organization began their professional careers at Helena including Ryan Braun, Alcides Escobar and Jonathan Lucroy."

 

The Helena Brewers are owned and operated by the Helena Baseball Club, LLC. D.G. Elmore serves as the principal owner.

 

"We are excited to renew our affiliation with the Milwaukee Brewers," said Elmore. "The Brewers are a first class operation and they have consistently provided Helena with exciting competitive teams."

 

The Helena Brewers are located in Helena, Montana and have been a Brewers rookie affiliate since the 2003 season. They play their home games at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

"The Helena Brewers look forward to continuing its working relationship with our parent club in Milwaukee. We have had a great history with the affiliation between our two organizations and look forward to welcoming more Milwaukee farmhands and staff members into our wonderful community," stated Helena Brewers General Manager Paul Fetz.

[Mass Haas]

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Brewers safe at home

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

The Helena Brewers and the Milwaukee Brewers have renewed their player development contract for an additional two years, the teams announced Tuesday.

 

The contract was set to expire at the conclusion of the 2010 season.

 

Helena General Manager and President Paul Fetz, along with owner DG Elmore and Milwaukee Brewers GM Doug Melvin, announced the deal at a press conference at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

“The Brewers have had a presence here in Helena for 25 years, and the relationship has always been professional and competitive,” Fetz said.

“The Brewers have treated our organization very, very well.”

 

Despite Helena having the smallest market in the Pioneer League and averaging the lowest attendance numbers, Melvin said the decision to keep the rookie league affiliate in Helena was a no-brainer.

 

“Our relationship with DG and Paul in the front office has been outstanding,” Melvin said. “Their cooperation in getting the facility updated with the new infield and clubhouse were important to us,” he added, referring to the $7.85 million parks improvement bond passed by voters in 2007 that helped upgrade the field.

 

Melvin said it is very important for minor league players to begin their careers in a community in which they feel comfortable, and that Helena is the right fit.

 

“One of our players, a recent draft pick, came up to me (Monday) night and said how much he enjoyed playing pro ball here in Helena,” related Melvin, who’s in town until Thursday. “He said it’s a great first step, a great experience.”

 

The contract requires that Helena meet facility standards and that Milwaukee provide the team with players in addition to paying them.

 

Elmore said when looking to renew a contract, two things come into play: Is it a first-class operation, and do they put a competitive team on the field? The Brewers have done both of those things, he said, adding that there was never any discussion to go a different direction or change affiliations.

 

A number of players currently with the Brewers’ big league club came through Helena, like Ryan Braun and Jonathan Lucroy, and even Milwaukee’s first base coach Ed Sedar was a manager in Helena for three seasons. Melvin said that only encourages fan growth.

 

“The minor league (fans) really are our future major league fans,” he said. “It’s our responsibility between the three of us here to develop future fans of Major League Baseball for the growth of our game.”

 

Minor league baseball in Helena has had many loyal fans throughout the years, including Gretchen Olheiser, who began coming to games at Kindrick Legion Field when the team was the Helena Phillies. She was pleased to hear about the contract extension.

 

“It’s important to have the team in Helena. It brings some people to town to watch the games and it shows the community support we have for the Brewers,” Olheiser said. “We have a beautiful park, so we might as well use it, and the team generates a lot of enthusiasm.”

 

The numbers may show otherwise. At the end of last week, Helena’s average attendance for the year was 956. The next closest in the Pioneer League is Casper, who at 1,706 is nearly double that. Everyone else in the league draws more than 2,000 fans on an average night. Still, Fetz said he has been pleased with the crowds thus far.

 

“I’ve been really happy; right now we’re on pace to be ahead of last year,” Fetz said.

 

Elmore said the team would not be here if they didn’t believe it was a viable market.

 

“We’ve seen this with other Pioneer League cities, as the economy grows, so does attendance,” he said.

 

Elmore said there has been no serious discussion about a new ballpark being built, but Melvin said he’s pleased with the renovations that have been made to Kindrick Legion Field.

 

“There’s some age to it, but it’s still a ballpark that caters to the fans,” he said.

 

This year’s rookies have been happy to call the ballpark and the city of Helena home.

 

“I definitely love it up here in Helena. It’s a nice place, a beautiful area,” said infielder Mike Walker. “I think it gives a lot of fans something to do; we play every night, and God willing they’ll keep coming out and support us.”

 

Photo by Eliza Wiley, Helena Independent Record

From left Helena Brewers president- general manager, Paul Fetz, DG Elmore, owner Helena Brewers and Doug Melvin, Milwaukee Brewers general manager, announced Tuesday at a press conference they are renewing their player development contract for an additional two years.

 

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[Mass Haas]

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BREWIN' WITH KUEHN: Hopkins has right outlook after record night at plate

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

Aug. 12 was just the day Greg Hopkins needed after struggling since returning from a concussion that sidelined him for seven games.

 

The Helena Brewers infielder tied a Pioneer League record when he went 6 for 6 against Missoula that day. It was Hopkins’ second five-hit game of the season, the only player in the league to accomplish that feat twice this year.

 

But Hopkins, a 24th-round draft pick out of St. John’s University, isn’t naive to think that’s the type of offensive outing he’s going to have every night.

 

“You can’t get too high or too low on yourself, but it definitely helps drive the confidence,” said Hopkins, who batted over .500 against the Osprey but was hitless through Wednesday in the Casper series. “Hopefully it will keep me up there the rest of the season.

 

“I’m not trying to do that every night. I know 6 for 6 is not something that happens a lot. My dad always tells me Derek Jeter once started the season hitting 0 for 50 and he still ended up hitting .300 that season. That just shows you how you have your struggles and your successes, but I think it’s all about staying even keel and being consistent with your at-bats.”

 

Helena manager Joe Ayrault believes that was the first time he’d ever witnessed a player get six hits in a contest.

 

“I’ve seen a guy hit four home runs in a game before in the past but to see a guy with six hits, that’s a feat,” the Brewers skipper said. “I was fired up for Greg to have that game; it was a fun game for us.”

 

Hopkins said the experience was surreal.

 

“I just started off with a couple good at-bats at first and that just led to another good at-bat,” said Hopkins, who is the only Brewer to play first, second and third base this season. “I just felt really locked-in.”

 

Hopkins was just a double shy of the cycle in that 17-6 win over Missoula. Nobody in the Pioneer League has hit for the cycle this year, but a few have come close. While that’s an accomplishment Hopkins is still trying for, he’s no stranger to the record books when it comes to multi-hit games.

 

Hopkins set a Big East Tournament record for hits in a game in 2009, when he went 5 for 6 against Cincinnati.

 

BREWERS BOOKWORM

 

Anytime you see Helena pitcher Matt Miller without a baseball in his hand, it’s likely that he’s replaced it with a book.

 

Miller, who leads the league with six wins this season and was fourth in ERA entering Thursday’s game, has read as many novels as he has victories since arriving in Helena in June. Prior to Wednesday’s interview, Miller had his nose in “Echo Burning” by Lee Child, the fifth novel in the Jack Reacher series. Miller said it’s a thriller, his favorite genre, and that it’s the seventh book he’s read this summer.

 

“It keeps my mind busy, especially since we have so much down time,” said Miller, who finds himself pitching every five days or so as a member of the Brewers’ starting rotation. “Guys get caught up in their thoughts; you have one bad game and you’re rehashing the bad parts postgame. So I use music, movies, books, whatever to try to get away from it.”

 

Miller has had more successful outings than bad ones this season, but was more than eager to escape into a book after a rough start Tuesday night, when the Ghosts had seven hits and seven runs — six earned — off the right-hander in just two innings.

 

“It’s one of those games where you reach back and there’s nothing there,” said the fifth-round pick out of the University of Michigan. “I was searching for feel for two innings, and it was a little bit of a hit parade. I’m trying my best to put that behind me.”

 

Miller said he got into reading while playing in the Northwoods League, a summer league featuring the top college players from across the nation.

While most players would put on their iPods for the long bus trips, Miller said books gave him something to do to keep his mind busy.

 

“It’s enjoyable, and it helps me keep my mind off baseball as much as possible,” he said.

 

WALKER’S WALKS

 

With so much focus on who is batting what, who leads in RBIs and who has the most home runs, there’s one statistic that tends to get lost in the shuffle.

 

Helena infielder Mike Walker leads the league in base on balls, with 44 walks through Wednesday’s game. The next closest player was 11 behind that, and Ayrault said the stat can be attributed to Walker’s disciplined eye at the plate.

 

“The on-base percentage, the walks, that’s a big part of today’s games,” Ayrault said. “To be at this level and to be that disciplined is incredible.

 

“That’s one of the hardest things to teach a guy, to be a disciplined hitter, so hopefully a lot of these other guys are learning from him.”

 

Walker is 11th in the Pioneer League in on-base percentage, reaching base over 39 percent of the time. The 14th-round draft pick, who bats left-handed, was hitting .249 through 53 games. That number goes up when facing southpaws.

 

“You’re just looking for one pitch,” Walker explained. “Before you go up to the plate, you have an idea of what you want to hit. Most times it’s a fastball. A lot of the time in this league a guy won’t throw you a fastball for the first one or two pitches and he ends up getting behind (in the count).

 

“Honestly, I’ve taken a lot of pretty simple walks. I just take a couple of balls inside and end up at first base.”

 

Walker admits being patient at the plate takes practice. Many rookies would rather swing at anything that comes their way. He feels waiting for his pitch is just somewhat innate.

 

“I’m not trying to be cocky or anything, it’s not like I’m hitting .400,” Walker said. “It’s just looking for pitches you want to hit and if you don’t get them you’ve just got to be disciplined enough to take them.”

 

Walker has just eight hits in his last 10 games, while drawing six walks over that time period.

 

“It’s been an up and down season but that’s just the way baseball is,” he said. “A big part of it is just trying to stay sane during the parts you’re not doing so well.”

 

***

 

NOTE: Walker went 4-for-5 in the game after this interview -- three-run home run, three singles (no walks).

[Mass Haas]

We should all send Amber of the Independent Record a nice bouquet at seasons' end. Just fantastic covergae out of Helena again this year.

 

Thank you Helena (and Appleton), as we're pretty much dry otherwise, newspaper-wise, that is.

[UeckerPowell]

I noticed that ESPN scout Jason Grey wrote on twitter that he was at the AZL game between the Reds and Brewers yesterday to scout Yasmani Grandal. So I decided to asked him what he thought of Tyler Roberts and here is what he had to say.

 

"one of the better prospects here -- should hit, good receiving skills, still some questions about arm "

[battlekow]

Hawn heating up for Helena as playoff chase tightens

Gordon Buchanan/Special to MLB.com

 

Helena Brewers first baseman Cody Hawn knows his team is where it wants to be. They lead Great Falls by just a game in the second-half North Division standings but seem to be getting hot at the right time, winning seven of their last 10 games and the last four in a row.

 

"Controlling your own destiny is where you want to be," said Hawn, a sixth-round pick in 2010 out of Tennessee. "We have to stay behind each other and keep doing the little things right."

 

It's no coincidence that Hawn has also heated up of late. The reigning Player of the Week is hitting a remarkable .528 in his last 10 games (19-for-36) while adding 12 RBIs to his league-leading total of 57. His coach said he's been one of the driving forces of the team all season, and though he is not an extremely vocal leader, his actions speak louder than words.

 

"He is top notch in that three-hole," manager Joe Ayrault said. "He does the little things and makes those routine plays. He's a Scott Rolen-type, the kind of guy who goes out there and works hard, and the other guys follow."

 

It's the little things that Ayrault believes are the keys to his team's recent success. Hot on their heels, however, are the also-streaking Voyagers, who've won five in a row and have a shot to clinch both halves.

 

The Brewers would still make the playoffs if the Voyagers clinch again, assuming Billings doesn't make up three games over the season's final two weeks. Right now, though, Ayrault believes all his team needs to do is continue what it's doing.

 

"There's no reason for us to change anything we're doing," he said. "We have got a good thing going right now."

 

The Brewers, who started the year with nine straight wins, fell off midseason when the routine plays seemed to become difficult and the starting pitching faltered. Now, Ayrault believes his team is getting back to it's hard-nosed philosophies.

 

"We've been getting great starting pitching and just solid defense," he said. "I tell them everyday that they just need to go out and play hard and do the small things."

 

"Everyone has figured out their roles," said Hawn, who leads Helena with 12 homers. "We are getting that big hit more often, and everyone is just clicking."

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2010/08/27/YHOiTrdh.jpg

(Bill Mitchell/Four Seam Images)

[Mass Haas]

Second baseman Nick Shaw, the Brewers' 25th-round pick in the 2010 Draft, fills out the Arizona league All-Star infield after batting .339 with a league-leading .478 on-base percentage, 19 RBIs and 14 steals in 48 games.

The Brewers' other All-Star is left-hander Charly Bashara (5-2, 2.37), while Tony Diggs was named Manager of the Year after guiding the club to a 34-22 record and a first-place finish in the Central Division.

Read the full link to see why Nick Shaw couldn't quite garner the league MVP award -- can't complain, worthy winner.

[battlekow]

1B Cody Hawn, RHP Matt Miller, and manager Joe Ayrault were named to the Pioneer League All-Star team. 3B Greg Hopkins, 2B Shea Vucinich, SS Carlos George, and RHP Brian Garman were honorable mentions.

[battlekow]

It's like the Helena version of the SI cover jinx; didn't Reggie Keen go down right before a feature on him came out, too?

 

Hawn a natural slugger for Brew Crew

Amber Kuehn/Helena Independent Record

 

The Milwaukee Brewers knew they saw something special in Cody Hawn when he was just a teen playing prep baseball at South Doyle High School in Knoxville, Tenn.

 

Hawn was drafted by the Brewers then, in 2007, in the 23rd round. But, knowing he still had a lot of growing up to do and desired to get a degree, Hawn opted instead to go to college - first spending a season at Walters State Community College before playing two years for the University of Tennessee.

 

The wait paid off for Hawn and the Brewers. Hawn was selected in this June's draft in the sixth round, again by Milwaukee, and the first baseman has been stalwart offensively for Helena.

 

"This guy can swing the bat," Helena manager Joe Ayrault said of Hawn, a player the skipper has penciled in at the No. 3 spot in the lineup for every game Hawn has been active. The infielder missed nine games with a hamstring injury. "He's one of the best guys we've got in the clubhouse. The guys want to follow him, just the way he carries himself on and off the field."

 

Not only has having a power hitter like Hawn given the Brewers confidence, but it's posed a threat to opposing pitchers and defenses. Helena hopes to have Hawn for the playoffs after the infielder reaggravated his hamstring Wednesday against Missoula.

 

Through Tuesday, Hawn was leading the Pioneer League in RBIs with 61, was tied for third in the league in home runs and doubles with 13 and 20, respectively, and was second for the Brewers with a .310 batting average. The left-hander was also named to the all-league team released earlier this week, but his biggest accolade came Wednesday night when he was named the team MVP.

 

"His dad keeps me posted and I check on-line all the time to see how he's doing," said Todd Raleigh, University of Tennessee head baseball coach. "I'm not surprised at all, Cody's one of those guys I knew would have success."

 

Hawn picked up right where he left off at Tennessee, after he led the Volunteers in batting average (.364), home runs (22), RBIs (81), hits (72), doubles (15) and slugging percentage (.773) as a junior. His 22 homers ranks second all-time in school history.

 

Raleigh estimates he has coached 80 to 100 players who have went on to play in the big leagues. He said Hawn is one of the best hitters he's ever coached.

 

"Of all the kids I've ever had, he's the one I know is going to hit at every level," the Vols skipper said. "If he stays healthy he'll make the big leagues. He needs to get stronger physically, and obviously everyone has to improve, that's why we have the minor league system. But he'll make it in under five years."

 

"He put up good numbers at Tennessee and he's just carried it over into his first pro season. He's one of our best hitters and he makes the other guys around him better," Ayrault said. "He's a baseball player. This is what he was born to do."

 

Hawn was just 2 years old when he first picked up a bat, learning whiffle ball a year after learning to walk.

 

"I remember sitting at the house at 4 or 5 years old waiting for Dad to get off work so we could go out and hit and throw or whatever," recalled Hawn, who played some football and basketball while growing up in Knoxville before it hit him he could make baseball a career.

 

It may not be long before he's climbing the ladder to the big leagues. Scouts and rovers have been high on Hawn as a prospect this year, and there is little doubt in Ayrault's mind that the kid he helped groom in rookie ball will one day play at Miller Park.

 

"He's worked with Garth Iorg, our infield coordinator who speaks very highly of him," Ayrault said, adding that the biggest asset this season has been having Hawn hit third, the spot he's been in since day one. "Having him come up every game in the first inning has been huge. He's still leading the league in RBIs even though he's been out, and he's right up there in home runs. He's the guy you want, just a stellar player."

 

Hawn has made as big of an impact at first base as he has with his bat. His defensive instincts - as well as his smart base running - have earned him the nickname "The Cheetah" in the Kindrick Legion Field clubhouse.

 

"Garth Iorg, one of the rovers that came into town, the biggest thing I worked on with him was fielding the ball with one hand," Hawn said, while rattling off a list of things he's been practicing. "Trying to make every play backhanded, working on moving runners over, the mental side of it. Having the right approach when I come to the plate. If guys are on second and third finding a way to get them in. It's stuff I've worked on a lot and it's paid off."

 

Raleigh said Hawn was a very good first baseman in college as well.

 

"He's always had fast hands, great instincts," Raleigh said. "He makes up for his lack of speed."

 

"Defense is something we stress from day one in the Brewers organization," Ayrault said. "He's good there. He's not the fastest guy but he is very good on the bases, has great instincts, has advanced on a lot of pitches in the dirt other guys might not read as well ... he spends just as much time in that cage as he does in the field working on his defense."

 

Because of his all-around skills, Hawn was one of several athletes selected to attend an instructional league this winter in Phoenix. With a good players-to-coaches ratio, Hawn will get more in-depth instruction on things to improve upon to help him toward his dream of one day playing in the majors. It's a fitting place for a guy Ayrault refers to as top-notch.

 

"He's like everybody's best friend," the skipper said. "If I'm 21 years old, same age as him, he'd be the guy I'd want to hang out with."

 

It may be hard to believe given the kind of season he's had, but Hawn was intimidated coming in to his first season as a pro. He said he wasn't sure what to expect, was worried he might not succeed.

 

"It's been a great experience so far, I didn't really know what I was getting into when I first got here but it's been better than what I thought it was gonna be," he said.

 

Hawn's biggest concern at first would be how he'd adjust to swinging with a wood bat.

 

"I did play in the SEC, and everybody lives and dies on the home run there," Hawn said with a smile. "With a wood bat it's not necessarily like you're going to come out and hit two or three home runs over nine innings."

 

Thinking he couldn't rely too heavily on the long ball, Hawn began striving to find gaps and get the ball on the ground. But in just his second professional start, he stroked an opposite-field shot over the wall at Kindrick that he said gave him the confidence he needed to be able to swing for the fences with a different bat than he was familiar with.

 

"I didn't expect that, I thought I'd be more of a doubles guy," Hawn said, noting that he's had his share of those as well. "Then the last 10 or 15 games before I got hurt, I started sprinkling balls all over the park."

 

While to outsiders it may seem like forgoing the pros out of high school and first attending college was the right choice, it is still a decision Hawn says he wrestles with from time to time.

 

"I would have been 18 and out on my own for the first time, but at the same time I could maybe be in high A or even double A right now," he said. "But I am pretty close to graduating and, on that note, I'm happy with my decision."

 

If baseball doesn't work out for Hawn, he may still make a living close to the game. He is studying communications and hopes to one day be a radio broadcaster. He said what Steve Wendt, the voice of the Helena Brewers, does fascinates him.

 

"I like talking to Steve about it, it really interests me," he said. "Maybe one day I could get an opportunity to do the same thing."

 

Or he just might get the opportunity to live his first dream. Rather than being a voice on the radio, being a player featured on ESPN's Top 10.

 

"I'm in the best spot for that opportunity to happen," he said. "I'm around great coaches, great players, learning every day. If, God willing, I stay healthy, hopefully one day I will get that opportunity to do so."

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/2/9a/8e3/29a8e382-bbcb-11df-b720-001cc4c03286-revisions/4c88633b5dd83.image.jpg

(Dylan Brown/Helena Independent Record)

[Tedaldtada]

http://milbprospects.blogspot.com/2010/09/arizona-league-top-prospects.html

 

Max Walla and Brooks Hall ranked here.

 

Walla career stats: http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=walla-001max

 

Hall career stats: http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=hall--001bro

 

Hall's season was def. encouraging. I didn't realize he managed to rack up 47 IP. Add that to the 50+ he likely saw in instructs, and he could reasonably start in WI next year. His numbers in Arizona are pretty comparable to what Odorizzi did for Helena in 2009.

[battlekow]

BA's Top 20 AZL Prospects list is out; the only Brewer on it is Tyler Roberts at #4:

Roberts had a decent 2009 pro debut in the AZL after Milwaukee drafted him in the 10th round from a rural Georgia high school. He returned to Arizona in 2010, helped the Brewers win the league title and projects as a solid regular in the big leagues.

Nicknamed "Country," Roberts ranked second in the league with 17 doubles sixth with six homers. Brewers manager Tony Diggs lauded him for having no fear at the plate, and also for his makeup. He worked hard this year to keep his weight under control and to improve his conditioning.

His offense is ahead of his defense, though he has made significant refinements working with Brewers minor league catching instructor Charlie Greene. Roberts was very raw in 2009, having learned most of what he knew about catching from watching Braves games on television. His setup behind the plate is now good, and his arm is average and could improve with better footwork.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Montana moundsman Garman excels

By JOE MENDEN

For the Wapakoneta (OH) Daily News

 

HELENA, Mont. — Standing on the mound with his Helena Brewers’ postseason in the balance and his team holding a slim 3-2 lead over the Missoula Osprey, there was one thing running through pitcher Brian Garman’s mind.

 

It wasn’t the pressure of the situation. Pressure, the Wapakoneta High School graduate says, is something he welcomes.

 

Instead, it was the steady rain falling as the Brewers were attempting to clinch a Pioneer League baseball playoff appearance.

 

“I need to get out of this inning before I hurt myself,” the 22-year-old Garman said he remembers thinking that Sept. 8 night in Helena.

 

Years earlier, he hurt his leg while pitching for the Wapakoneta Redskins on a field wet from rain.

 

This time, Garman successfully blocked out both the pressure and the rain, retiring the side in order to earn the save and send the Brewers to the playoffs.

 

It wasn’t until the final out was recorded that Garman let what he had accomplished sink in a little.

 

“Once the game was over, and I saw all my teammates running onto the field, reality set in,” Garman said.

 

The Brewers eventually went on to win their first Pioneer League title since 1996, beating the Great Falls Voyagers 2-1 in a best-of-three series and sweeping the Ogden (Utah) Raptors in another best-of-three series that ended Thursday.

 

By any measure, Garman’s first season as a professional was a success.

 

The Milwaukee Brewers’ 17th pick in the 2010 draft finished the rookie league short season with a 3-1 record, nine saves and a 0.90 ERA, best on the team.

 

He also notched 42 strikeouts in 30 innings.

 

Those are the type of numbers that can establish a pitcher as one of the brightest prospects in a team’s farm system. Amazingly, those stats got even better for the 5-foot-10, 180-pound left-hander when the postseason rolled along.

 

Garman made three playoff appearances, pitching three perfect innings and striking out six of the nine batters he faced. He earned a save in the championship series opener and recorded the final three outs of a 14-3 win over Ogden in the series clincher.

 

Even after an up-and-down college career at the University of Cincinnati, during which Garman himself acknowledges he wasn’t exactly a standout, he said he wasn’t surprised about how quickly success as a pro came.

 

His goal as far back as he can remember — probably even further, he said — has been to be a professional baseball player. Expecting that you are going to achieve the goals you set for yourself, he feels, is a big part of making them happen.

 

“I watch a lot of interviews with Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Will Smith,” Garman said.

 

Those three stars of their respective fields all say the same thing — you have to expect greatness to achieve it.

 

One of his favorite quotes is from Will Smith, who said “you don’t need to have a Plan B, because that just distracts from your Plan A.”

 

Garman knew he wasn’t the biggest or the most physically gifted athlete at any stop he’s made after high school. Because of that, he said, preparation and hard work are even more important to him than they are for many other players with big dreams.

 

His coaches and people around the team tell Garman, it is his work ethic that sets him apart from his teammates.

 

Pitching coach Elvin Nina said that before the season started, he knew nothing about Garman and had no expectations for him.

 

That quickly changed.

 

“He has one of the best work ethics, not just on this team, but that I’ve seen in a long time.”

 

Another thing that set himself apart, Nina said, was his outstanding command of all three of his top pitches: fastball, curveball and slider.

 

The fastball, Nina said, is nothing special, coming in at 90-92 mph. But the way he can place it makes it very tough to hit. His tight curveball is a nice change-of-pace pitch, again impeccably placed.

 

But it’s the slider that makes him special.

 

“It disappears on (batters),” Nina said.

 

At the beginning of rookie league ball, Nina said, the bullpen features a closer-by-committee system with multiple players getting their chances in save situations.

 

“(Garman) took to it and ran away with it,” Nina said.

 

Garman has no idea where he’ll end up playing next year, but he knows he’s not satisfied yet. He won’t be until he achieves his ultimate goal – making the big leagues and staying there.

 

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Garman said. “I’m going to take advantage of it as much as possible.”

 

Joe Menden is a former Wapakoneta Daily News sports editor. He currently is a copy editor with the Independent Record in Helena.

 

***

 

Well, that's a small world, those newspaper connections -- pretty sure this is our first link ever to the Wapakoneta (OH) Daily News.

[Mass Haas]

Vote for Helena (scroll to bottom of the linked page) in the team's quest for a MiLBY Award.

[CheezWizHed]

Helena leading by 10% with a current vote of 31%

[Mass Haas]

Good job, guys -- with 32% of the vote, you helped Helena garner its coveted MiLBY.

[Mass Haas]

Local pro to hold autograph session

By CARLA MEYER, Staff Writer

Wapakoneta (Ohio) Daily News

A Wapakoneta professional baseball star will be having an exclusive signing session in his hometown.

Brian Garman, who was selected in the 17th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, will be having a baseball signing session on Nov. 27 at Marley’s Downtown. “I’ve signed autographs before and after games,” Brian Garman said, “but nothing exclusive like this.”

 

Garman said he is excited to being signing autographs in his hometown. He will be signing baseball cards, which will be provided at the event, and anything else that fans want signed from noon to 2:30 p.m. at the event. Elaine and John Poppe are the organizers of the event.

 

“We wanted Brian to come to Santa Day on Dec. 4, but he got a call from camp to go back to get x-rays done,” Elaine Poppe said.

 

Elaine and John Poppe wanted Garman to sign autographs at the Santa Day, but since he has to go to training camp to get x-rays for his broken foot in Phoenix, they pushed the signing to a week prior to Santa Day.

 

“It will be fun,” Elaine Poppe said.

 

“I’ve been home for two months, and I have felt a lot of support from the community,” Garman said. “I hope the signing brings a lot of people out.”

 

Garman, who graduated from Wapakoneta High School in 2006, went on to play college baseball for the Bearcats at the University of Cincinnati, where he graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with emphasis in health promotions.

 

Garman who is a left-handed relief pitcher, played rookie ball in Helena, Mont. for the Helena Brewers this past summer. The Helena Brewers won the Pioneer League Championship against the Ogden Raptors.

 

Garman was pitching when the Brewers recorded the last out in the final championship game.

 

During the season, Garman recorded an 0.90 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 30 innings. He had a 3-1 record with nine saves.

 

Garman is set to leave the day after his signing session in Wapakoneta to go to Phoenix for an MRI done on his broken foot. He will then fly home for the remainder of his off-season and go back to Phoenix in January for an abbreviated spring season for minor league players and back in mid-February to report with pitchers and catchers for spring training.

 

“I’ll either be playing in Wisconsin or Florida,” Garman said, predicting where he might play baseball next summer in the Milwaukee Brewers minor league system.

 

Garman said he has succeeded on his dream to play professional baseball.

 

“This is something that I was going to do, and no one was going to stop me,” Garman said of reaching his dream to play baseball. “I definitely feel like I can be an example for people — especially young people.” He said if younger baseball players see that he has reached his goal, then they can, too.

 

Garman said if he can be some sort of realization for young players with a goal of playing baseball, then it makes him feel good.

 

“I’m excited because if I can get here,” Garman said, “then I can have an impact on someone else reaching the same dream.”

[Mass Haas]

Trying to stay on the frontline of bringing you transaction news, but first MiLB.com inadvertantly placed Chuck Lofgren in the "deceased" column and now promising Helena starter Matt Miller has found a way to declare free agency five months after being drafted. Way to go, guys...

 

LINK

 

Um, MiLB meant this Rockies guy.

[Mass Haas]

The Topps All-Star honor is always nice because so few are named (across multiple leagues), so congratulations, Cody Hawn!

[battlekow]

Message of inspiration: Garman addresses WMS students

Carla Meyer/Wapakoneta Daily News

A local baseball star left Wapakoneta Middle School students Tuesday with a positive message about life. Professional baseball player and Wapakoneta High School graduate Brian Garman spoke during a special sixth- and seventh-grade assembly.

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars,” Garman said of a favorite quotation that made an impression on his life.

While he was at Wapakoneta Middle School or Wapakoneta High School, he saw a poster on a hallway wall with this inspirational message, Garman said. This quote made a lasting impression on him to dream big and to set his goals high.

“We should set goals high because even if we don’t get there, we still get here,” Garman said as he motioned his arms.

He talked to the students about how he started playing baseball when he was four-years-old.

“When I was a kid, I decided I wanted to play baseball,” said Garman, who played with the Wapakoneta Redskins and the Cincinnati Bearcats before being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers. “I decided to set a high goal.

“My definition of failure is quitting,” Garman said. “Never ever let something defeat you — that’s important if you want to get to the top.”

Garman also spoke with the students about not giving into peer pressure.

“Surround yourself with good friends,” Garman said, “and stay focused.”

Garman encouraged the students to do what they love to do, and to not let anyone bring them down and tell them they cannot do something that they love.

“You don’t need a lot of money to be happy,” Garman said. “You just need to have a career and do what you love to do.”

He stressed that success is more important than money.

Garman shared a story about having a chat with one of his teammates, Tony [Pechek, I assume. -bk].

Tony told Garman that he admires the passion he has for the game.

“Tony was struggling because he hasn’t been playing a lot,” Garman said. “It got to the point where it wasn’t fun for him anymore.”

Garman gave this advice to Tony, and now to the students, that they need to be passionate about what they do and find something that they love to do.

“I made the decision to play baseball after college,” Garman said. “I don’t care if anyone tells me I can’t because I’ll prove them wrong.”

Garman expressed to the students that they should not worry about the things they cannot control, but focus on the things they can do.

Garman ended his talk by answering questions from the students.

Wapakoneta Middle School guidance counselor Mark Koch went around with the microphone while students asked Garman questions, such as “Do you get nervous before a game?” “Did you like middle school?” and “What was your hardest class in college?”

Sixth-grader Masin Richey said he has known Garman for a while, and what Garman talked about really made him think.

“He was pretty good,” sixth-grader Vanessa Baughman said. “I think he can make his goals.”

Maddie Bayne expressed that she thought Garman was a cool speaker.

“I wanted to ask him how he actually got there,” the sixth-grader said of how Garman reached his successful career.

Bayne liked when Garman talked about setting a goal high. If you do not reach the high goal you set, you will still get somewhere, Bayne said.

Seventh-grader Mason Schmalenger said he also enjoyed how Garman spoke about setting high goals.

“Set your goal high, and if you miss, at least you will get somewhere,” Schmalenger said.

Sixth-grader Kelsie Akers expressed how she felt Garman was outgoing, competitive and hardworking. She also said setting a goal high is something she took from his speech.

“It’s amazing,” sixth-grader Samantha Fuerst said of Garman’s successful career. “And he comes from a little town.”

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Ex-Napa Valley College star Cravy moving up on Milwaukee’s ladder

Marty James, Napa Valley Register

Tyler Cravy got some good news a couple of weeks ago.

 

He got a call from Lee Tunnell, the Milwaukee Brewers’ minor league pitching coordinator who works in scouting and player development for the organization.

 

Tunnell was on the phone, informing Cravy that he’ll be assigned to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, a Class A team based in Appleton that plays in the Midwest League.

 

“I’m ready for it. I’m excited,” Cravy said Tuesday. “It’s good to move up from where I was last year and the year before.”

 

Cravy, chosen as the Bay Valley Conference’s Player of the Year for Napa Valley College in 2009, will be starting his third year of professional baseball when he reports to spring training on March 9 in Maryvale, Ariz. He pitched for the Arizona Brewers in the Arizona Rookie League in 2009 and spent last year with Helena, Mont., which won the Pioneer League title.

 

The goal, he said, is to stay healthy, continue to improve, get stronger and throw even better.

 

“It’s going to be my first full-length season,” said Cravy, who was named to the Community College Baseball All-America team as a pitcher-position player for Napa Valley. “I feel good. I’m real excited to be there.”

 

Cravy, selected by Milwaukee in the 17th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, was 2-1 with a 4.45 ERA in 12 games for the Brewers’ rookie-level team in the Arizona League. He was the 526th overall selection in the draft and was chosen after his freshman year.

 

The right-hander was 6-6 with a 5.87 ERA for the Helena Brewers. He appeared in 15 games with 12 starts.

 

“I feel I’ve gotten a lot better the past two years — my velocity’s gone up, the control’s gotten better,” said Cravy, 21, who makes his home on Mare island in Vallejo. “I figure if I keep on moving up every year, then hopefully I’m in the bigs before I’m 27 or 28.”

 

Cravy (6-foot-4, 198 pounds) is a starting pitcher who throws a four-seam and two-team fastball, a changeup, curveball and slider. Helena beat the Ogden (Utah) Raptors in a best-of-three championship series.

 

“I’ve been working out, staying in shape, and just getting ready for it,” said Cravy, who has been clocked at up to 96 mph on his fastball.

 

He’s been working out with the NVC team at Storm Field, throwing long toss, trying to keep sharp and staying on top of his game, so that he’s ready to go for four weeks of spring training. He’s also been helping out some of the pitchers on the Storm’s staff.

 

“It’s been great,” he said of his first two years in pro ball. “It’s pretty much everything I’ve wanted it to be.”

 

The players on the 2010 Helena team will get their championship rings at spring training. The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers start their season on April 7. There are two divisions in the Midwest League, made up of 16 teams.

 

Cravy said he learned to trust his pitches last year, throwing any pitch in any count with confidence.

 

“I got my confidence up a lot, especially in the playoffs last year. I pitched in a couple of big games and it really helped out, just being able to throw anything I wanted.”

 

Cravy, a pitcher-infielder, was chosen as the Bay Valley’s Player of the Year in 2009 as the Storm (22-18 overall, 16-11 BVC) took third place. He was 8-3 in 15 appearances with a 2.99 earned-run average. He broke Phil Simpson’s school record, set in 1988, by striking out 110 batters in 90 1?3 innings.

 

Opponents batted .188 off Cravy, who went to Hogan High School-Vallejo. He made 12 starts with three complete games.

 

Cravy also starred as a shortstop and first baseman, batting .335 with three home runs, 10 doubles, five triples and 40 RBIs.

 

Milwaukee Brewers prospect Tyler Cravy, chosen as the Bay Valley Conference’s Player of the Year for Napa Valley College in 2009, will be starting his third year of professional baseball when he reports to spring training on March 9 in Maryvale, Ariz. He pitched for the Arizona Brewers in the Arizona Rookie League in 2009 and spent last year with Helena, Mont., which won the Pioneer League title. Richard Bruns (Napa Valley Register photo)

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/napavalleyregister.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/5/98/05b/59805b2a-2ea9-11e0-b9cd-001cc4c03286-revisions/4d491a9b161ae.image.jpg

[JimH5]

I hope Wayne has a Plan B for his career choice. A 30th rounder with weak numbers, an injury, and two drug suspensions. . .he seems to be taking up space, and not in a positive way.

[battlekow]

Courtesy Nick Shaw's Facebook, the AZL Brewers' championship rings:

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/199133_552790526900_70903075_32013276_6368749_n.jpg

Spiffy.

[battlekow]

And, thanks to Jose Oviedo's Facebook, Helena's rings:

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/200090_211179382228962_100000107045671_932758_6252914_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/196897_211179535562280_100000107045671_932760_3735856_n.jpg