Your 2011 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers -- Latest: More from Instructional League

[brewfan1]

I agree and will be watching Hawn a bunch. I have a good feeling about that kid.

[CheezWizHed]

Any ideas on why there aren't doing many piggy-back starters this year? Organizational shift in philosophy or because most of them are college pitchers?

 

It would be really nice if both Hawn and Morris produce big this year so the Brewers can be aggressive with both. It would be nice to see both promoted after 1/2 seasons, but only because they are producing...

[YoungGeezy]

Chris Mehring tweeted me back today on the Garfield and Roberts issue:

 

@CMehring:

I think ppl are making too big of a deal out of this. My understanding is that one will catch a few days in a row. Then, the other will catch a few days in a rom. Remember, Garfield (18/19) played 102 games and started at catcher in 100 of those games. The Rattlers played 138.

[TheCrew07]

As much as I like Chris, he made my point for me while disagreeing with me... When you have prospects, they should be coached up and play as much as possible to get better. I haven't seen many players get better just by watching. Sometimes it happens, but not enough that I'd ever hang my hat on it.

[YoungGeezy]

That is how I feel as well. Brewers make it easy to tell why Lucroy is the only decent homegrown big league catcher since.....can't even tell ya. Your two youngest (both around 20) and I think most talented (ceiling-wise) catchers are now going to lose much needed development playing time. I in no way think Garfield should recieve less than his 100 games he had last year but that only leaves Roberts with 38 games. Erickson has his work cut out for him. I still feel Roberts may move off from catcher eventually because of how much far his bat is and the lack you playing time we can get at catcher.

[DHonks]

There's also the chance that the Brewers may plan on having one of them eventually get promoted to A+, with a potential placement in the AFL allowing for additional practice and technique work.

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattlers pitcher Austin Ross has priorities straightMike Woods, Appleton Post-Crescent

Whichever path Austin Ross' life takes from here, the one thing you can be certain of is he will land on his feet.

Without a wobble.

On Thursday, he will take the mound as the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' Opening Day starter against Kane County on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

If he experiences success, he won't be overcome, for he has had his share and knows what to do with it when it drops into his lap. If he experiences failure, he won't be daunted, for he has traveled that road as well, held up for public scrutiny by a rabid fan base.

And if for some reason this whole baseball gig falls short of expectations, he'll just go back to LSU and finish off his degree in petroleum engineering — where he made the SEC academic honor roll for three straight years — and leave his mark on the world that way.

In any case, this 22-year-old Louisiana native knows he's in a good place — even though it's early April in Wisconsin.

"I've definitely got that back-of-my-mind comfort if, for whatever reason, baseball doesn't work out. I don't see it not working out, but the reality is it's tough. You're fighting an uphill battle," Ross said, "so it's definitely comforting to know that I have something to fall back on."

He also has a fallback plan when he takes the mound, which only adds to his comfort zone.

"When you come into the A ball level, you need to do a couple of things. You need to have fastball command, and that's the thing he does the best," Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook said. "And once you do that at A ball level and then you can command an off-speed pitch, which he can also do, I think that just gives you a calming influence out there on the mound. When he pitches, he has a good idea and throws all three pitches for strikes."

Ross' life experiences have undoubtedly prepared him for this moment, starting when, as a high school junior, he led his team to the Louisiana Class 4A state title. He was named the state's pitcher of the year the following season and then headed off to LSU, where in 2009 he helped the Tigers capture the College World Series title.

 

"I think I've gone through a lot of stuff that some guys probably did not have the opportunity to go through and I'm thankful," Ross said. "I think it's helped me a lot as a pitcher and to mature a lot and there've been situations that I've been put in over the past three years that are priceless — you couldn't experience them anywhere else — and I think I've grown as a pitcher because of that."

Thursday's start will be a big stage in terms of career development. But it won't compare to the stage he was on in college, where there were many more eyeballs and far greater interest.

"Like we'd come out Thursday for practice and there'd be 10 to 20 media people out there, newspapers and TV, especially the day before you start, interviews and stuff," Ross said. "Have about 10,000 people at every game. You were put on the biggest stage at that point, every game pretty much.

"You were criticized if you did bad. Everyone was your biggest fan if you were doing well, and if not, it was in the paper that they need to change something and you were the reason why. So you learn not let things affect you."

The Brewers selected him in the eighth round of last June's free agent draft, but he said the decision to leave school was not that easy.

"I enjoyed school. I like LSU and valued my education but just felt as a career choice it was probably the best thing to do," he said. "I don't even think it was about money but more the opportunity I saw with the Brewers.

"It's all about trying to make to the big leagues and see how long you can stay there and I just felt like coming out then was my best opportunity to advance and get there and, hopefully, have a long career in the big leagues."

The Brewers hope that is the case as well.

"Hopefully for him, if he can (throw all three pitches for strikes) early on, and pitch well he won't be in A ball very long," Hook said.

Which means other suitors that could also use his talents — take BP, for example — will just have to wait their turns.

[And That]

Haudricourt: "More Bad News on Arnett"

 

Pertinent: Eric Arnett, the right-hander taken in the first round of the 2009 draft out

of Indiana who has profiled as a major bust thus far, developed rotator

cuff tendinitis during minor-league camp and will be out of action

indefinitely.

 

 

[battlekow]

LHP Manny Parra will begin his rehab assignment with a relief appearance for the Rattlers on Saturday.

[Mass Haas]

This photo gallery is for the ladies (I guess) -- it's the Post-Crecent's yearly "mug shot" shoot, alphabetically.

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattlers' pitching trio looks to maintain winning ways

by Jesse Osborne, Post-Crescent staff writer

 

KIMBERLY — As three of the top prospects in the Milwaukee Brewers' minor league system, Jimmy Nelson, Tyler Thornburg and Matt Miller are perhaps the most well known of this year's Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

And that talented trio of starting pitchers certainly signed plenty of autographs Wednesday as part of the team's Lead-Off Experience at Liberty Hall. While each enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the meet-and-greet dinner and question-and-answer session with fans on the eve of today's Midwest League season-opener against Kane County at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium, it was clear that all three are anxious to begin their first full minor league season.

"We're pretty excited," Nelson said. "I was just talking to one of the fans a second ago, that this looks like such a good team. You've got some returners from last year. … so they know the ropes. Everybody else pretty much is from a championship team last year (in rookie league play at short-season Arizona and Helena). It's definitely a group that knows how to win, and we have some older guys to kind of steer us the right way. It looks like a good mix."

When it comes to the Timber Rattlers' starting rotation this season, though, Nelson, Thornburg and Miller are all viewed as key ingredients.

"All three of those guys bring not only some experience from the college ranks, but I think they bring some pitchability," Timber Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook said. "They've already kind of been down the road a little bit."

Nelson — a 6-foot-6, 245-pound right-hander who is scheduled to start Saturday — was a second-round draft pick in 2010 out of Alabama, and cuts an imposing figure on the mound.

"If we've got a guy who grips it and rips it, he does that pretty well," Hook said of Nelson, who struck out 33 batters in 26.2 innings with Helena last season.

Miller, meanwhile, might be the most polished of the trio at this point. Though the 6-6, 220-pounder, who is scheduled to start Friday, isn't overpowering, the fifth-round pick in 2010 out of Michigan has a nice mix of pitches and can dial up his fastball into the mid-90s on occasion, according to Hook.

"I want to try to throw strikes down at the knees and get a lot of ground balls. That's where I had a lot of success last year at Helena, was getting ground balls," said Miller, who fashioned a 7-2 record and struck out 53 in 71 innings for Helena. "I don't see myself as a huge strikeout guy, but one of the things I've been working on is a put-away pitch. Really, I just want to get a lot of ground balls and outs. … Just keep it simple."

Simple could also be applied to Thornburg's approach.

"He throws the ball very, very hard, and is a fastball guy," Hook said. "He's coming right at you. He's not messing around too much. He gets after it."

Though smallest in stature of the three at 5-11 and 185 pounds, Thornburg brings the biggest fastball of the bunch. A third-round pick in 2010 out of Charleston Southern, Thornburg compiled a 1.93 ERA and racked up 38 strikeouts in 23.1 innings of work for Helena last year.

"I really don't know where it comes from," Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson said of Thornburg's velocity. "He gets on top of the baseball and creates some down angle. I know talking to some of the hitters. … they said the ball really jumped out of his hand."

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio: 2011 Player Entrance Music

[brettac1]

Going to the game on Sunday, I think. Looking forward to checking out Austin Ross.

[TooLiveBrew]

One of Chris Mehring's postgame thoughts from yesterday:

 

Jimmy Nelson will not have an outing like that again this season. I am as positive about that as I am about anything I have ever been.

 

 

I haven't really had a chance to see Nelson pitch in person yet. I caught a few glimpses of him on the stadium in-house feed in his previous start, but not enough to watch him. The velocities I was hearing were pretty consistently good though, low & mid-90s. His FB seemed to have good sink to it, & ate up several Cedar Rapids batters. I'll try to get a better look at him (& the rest of the T-Rats) as the summer goes on.

[TooLiveBrew]

Pop quiz: Which one is Scooter Gennett, & which one is Tyler Thornburg? I blacked out the hat logos, since that would be a dead giveaway.

 

http://i.imgur.com/dfqJv.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/9MgU1.jpg

[battlekow]

That's pretty good, TLB. The resemblance was even stronger in Thornburg's Helena photo from last year, but I can't find it.

[Mass Haas]

Great to see the Post-Crescent do these again in 2011 --

 

Timber Rattlers profile: No. 3 Nick Shaw, infielder

Compiled by Mike Woods, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

Quick Hits

- Age: 22.

- Position: Second base/shortstop.

- Height/weight: 6-0, 161.

- Bats/throws: Left/right.

- Hometown: St. Petersburg, Fla.

Notes: Selected by the Brewers in the 25th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. ... Was an Arizona League all-star last season, leading the league in on-base percentage (.471) and walks (37). ... Finished fourth in the league in batting average (.339). ... Attended Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla., where he set an NCAA Division II record with 215 career walks (previous mark was 200). ... Named a third-team Division II all-American in 2009 and an honorable mention all-American pick in 2008.

Favorites

MLB team growing up: "Boston Red Sox. My family's from Maine, so a very big following up there in the whole New England area."

MLB player growing up: "Nomar Garciaparra. He played short; I played short — that type of thing."

Current player: "You know, my favorite hitter was Manny Ramirez, but lately it's tough to be a fan of him. So, I really don't … I still follow the Red Sox here and there but they're off to a rough start."

Brewers player: "I'd have to say Ryan Braun."

Sport other than baseball: "Soccer. Played a lot when I was young and when I got to high school I had to choose one and my dad made me choose baseball, but that's all right. It's worked out, I guess. "

Food: "Any kind of chicken."

Thing about Florida: "The weather. Geez, can't beat it."

TV show: "I don't watch that much TV. 'Family Guy,' I guess."

Musical artist: "I like Jason Aldean, country, that kind of deal."

NFL team: "I guess the Buccaneers. I really don't follow it much, but that's the hometown team."

Q&A

 

Q: Thursday night, you went zero-for-zero at the plate with five walks. Last year, you led the Arizona League in walks. How'd you develop such a good eye?

A: "I don't know if this is it, but when I was younger, I played games in the back yard with a strike zone behind me. My dad would pitch to me and if it hit the strike zone, it was a strike and if not, it was a ball. That and video games when I was younger. Had a strike zone, same type of thing. That could have helped me, I think."

Q: Is it hard to learn plate discipline?

A: "I think so. It just has to be worked on over and over again. What you think the strike zone is and if the ball isn't near it, let it go."

Q: How'd you end up at Barry University?

A: "Coming out of high school, I was small. I think I was 5-foot-6, 130 pounds soaking wet. So I had a couple of community colleges and then Barry came out of nowhere. They actually wanted my high school teammate and, as a package deal, I went with him."

Q: What kind of experience was that for you?

A: "It was a great experience. Played as soon as I got there, so I got in four years at a four-year college. I couldn't have asked for anything better."

Q: What did you major in?

A: "I was pre-pharmacy, the biology, chemistry route. Then, my junior year, I had to choose either four night classes during the season or give up baseball. It was one or the other. So I choose baseball, obviously, and changed my major to sports management."

Q: On Opening Day, you hit your first professional home run. What did you do with the ball?

A: "I never got the ball. My parents asked 'Did you get the ball?' No, I watched the replay and I think a little kid grabbed it, so that's great. I gave the bat away, too."

Q: Who'd you give the bat to?

A: "I saw some kid by the dugout. Everyone was asking for autographs. He was just sitting there with his parents minding his own business. The bat was broken so I just signed it and gave it to him."

Q: What's the hardest thing about playing in cold weather?

A: "Keeping your hands from going completely stiff — well, actually, your whole body. Try to stay loose. Try to stay focused on the game. It's tough to want to keep going through it for nine innings but you just have to put your mind to it."

Q: How'd it feel to get drafted and how did you find out?

A: "I was actually out in the back yard with my parents and a couple of friends in the pool. I got a call in the 20th round. I think it was from the Astros. They said, 'Have you heard anything from anybody else?' I said, 'No.' Being a senior, I figured I was going to go real late. They said, 'All right, probably late tomorrow, late 30s (round) or early 40s.' So I said OK and I stopped paying attention to the computer and went back into the pool. The next thing I know, my mom and her fiance jump into the pool fully clothed. Her fiance had his phone in his pocket and that's when I assumed I got drafted and they told me it was by the Brewers. That was pretty funny."

Q: How'd you spend your first paycheck?

A: "I think I bought some shoes, quite a few bats and some clothes."

Q: What's your most prized sports possession?

A: "I still have my T-ball glove. That's still in my closet. I actually have my college jersey framed, too. So between those two."

Q: Why are those special to you?

A: "The glove, symbolizing like a start, where I started to where I am now. And the college jersey, just for the opportunity I got there. Having that just reminds me of that experience."

Q: Do you feel you've had to show more, or have had something extra to prove, because of your size?

A: "I definitely feel I have to do extra things because I'm smaller. It's been like that the whole way up. When I was young, then going into high school and into college, even finding a college in the first place. You just go out there and do what you can. Don't try to do anything extra. It's got me through so far."

Q: Any significance to No. 3?

A: "No, just always wore it when I was younger and all the way through."

Q: If you could take one guy deep, who would it be?

A: "Let me think. It's got to be a Yankee. I guess I'd say (CC) Sabathia."

Q: What's been your favorite sports moment either that you were involved in or watched?

A: "The Red Sox coming back from 3-0 down (in the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees). I got the chills. When that happened, it was crazy."

 

The Tool Box

Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson breaks down infielder Nick Shaw: "Obviously I haven't seen much of Nick. He didn't show up to instructional league because they gave him the opportunity to finish his schooling, and he took advantage of that. And that automatically tells me he's a fairly intelligent guy.

 

"This spring training, as I watched him play and do his daily work, I was impressed. Obviously, not a real big guy but fundamentally pretty good.

His work ethic is good. And a lot of times those go hand-in-hand. But I love him at the top of our lineup. His pitch selection is great. He's not afraid to take some pitches. He's going to give you a good at-bat. He's a tough out. With that, he can swing the bat a little bit. He's capable of driving the ball. He's not only a leadoff guy that takes pitches but I think he's got some hit-ability to him. He's capable of swinging the bat. I fully anticipate him being at the top of our lineup all season.

 

"His glove, he's been a shortstop his whole life. But last year was a little bit of an adjustment for him playing second every day. But it looks like he is very comfortable with that. He is going to play some shortstop. I told him maybe once a week we're going to try and throw him over there to make sure he's not lost in the shuffle as just a second baseman. If he's not an everyday second baseman, the next thing is a utility guy and he needs to have value playing shortstop. And he has no problem with that and loves the position.

 

"He's solid at turning the double play. He's quick there. I just see him as a guy you can rely on, throw him at the top of your lineup, put him at short or second, go do your thing."

 

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20110417&Category=APC020602&ArtNo=104170616&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0

 

Nick Shaw will play second and occasionally shortstop for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. / Post-Crescent photo by Dan Powers.

[Tedaldtada]

Was it Chris Hook, instead of Erickson, doing these last year? I liked his quantitative approach to scouting reports. Still, I love these player profile pieces.

Edit: No, it was Isom last year, I think. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Mass Haas]

Starting May 16th of last year, we started linking our "Article Crawler" (based in the right-hand column of our home page) to articles copied here on our forum, so we no longer lead to dead newspaper links.

 

So when you click on the Article Crawler link, there is a filter and date system available. Plug in 05/16/2010 for the date, select the Timber Rattlers from the dropdown, and voila, you have all those feature profiles available to you to review anytime.

 

Nice, huh?

[Mass Haas]

Versatility big asset in Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' lineup

Wisconsin players are flexible at several positions

by Jesse Osborne, Post-Crescent staff writer

 

APPLETON — They remained in the middle of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' batting lineup for both games of Sunday's doubleheader against Peoria. But Jason Rogers, Greg Hopkins and Mike Walker each found themselves in a different role from one game to the next.

Rogers, who played left field in Game 1, was the designated hitter in Game 2. Hopkins started one game at third base and the other at second base. And Walker, who opened the day as a DH, closed it as a third baseman.

Those three, along with second baseman/shortstop Nick Shaw, are among the faces who have played in multiple places for first-year Rattlers manager Matt Erickson over the first 10 games of the Midwest League season, an arrangement again illustrated during a 7-6 loss and a 2-1 victory against the Chiefs in a pair of seven-inning games at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

"Our team is nice like that. We have a lot of versatility and a lot of guys who can play different positions," said Walker, who has made six starts at third base and four at DH this season. "And I think it helps Matt out being able to pencil different guys into different places as well."

Erickson, who played multiple positions over the course of his 11-year professional career, doesn't argue with that sentiment.

"I appreciate guys that can play other places. There's no doubt about it. … I think any manager does. It's the talent we have in the room that has created this kind of interchangeable parts," Erickson said. "Ultimately, we're trying to create as much value for each individual as possible. If you can play more than one position, it's going to create value for you in the long run."

In the short term, players like Hopkins and Rogers are continuing to learn the nuances of relatively new positions.

"I kind of got drafted as a third baseman, but I'll do whatever it takes. I'll play wherever" said Hopkins, whose experience at second base entering this season consisted of 10 games or so in rookie ball last season. "At first, it was just a little bit different. I'm still working on it, and time is going to help. That's all I can do. Just go out there and try to work at it."

 

Rogers, who is listed as an infielder, has seen time at DH (four games), first base (one game) and in the outfield (two games). And while the 6-foot-2, 267-pounder will likely see most of his time at DH, he's working to improve his skills as an outfielder.

"Jason Rogers, I don't think he's played any left field in professional baseball," Erickson said. "In spring training I knew we were going to have a situation with Walker, (Cody) Hawn and possibly (Rogers) all coming to this team. Pretty much three first basemen. You're going to have to do some things if you want all three of them in the lineup. We put Rogers in the outfield in spring training, and we've worked a number of days with him with our outfield (roving instructor). "

That kind of roster flexibility gives Erickson plenty of options when filling out his lineup card or making in-game decisions.

Take Sunday, for instance.

Although Walker's two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning in Game 2 sent the Rattlers to a dramatic victory, Erickson, who lifted Hawn for a pinch runner earlier in the seventh, had a plan in place had the game gone into extra innings.

"If we tie that ballgame up, now we have Walker going to first (base), Hopkins going to third (base) and we have Shaw going into the game at second base," Erickson said. "To me, because we've done it so much, and we work at the different spots, we don't miss a beat. It's nice to have that versatility."

Carlos George of the Timber Rattlers is out at second as Chiefs shortstop Arismendy Alcantara tries to complete a double play in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday in Grand Chute. / Post-Crescent photo by Ron Page

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20110418&Category=APC020602&ArtNo=104180571&Ref=AR&Profile=1728&MaxW=300&Border=0

[battlekow]

Pocket Doppler's Brian Carriveau has an nice piece on Tyler Thornburg, including the heretofore unknown (to me, anyway) information that Thornburg was limited with an oblique injury last year. I guess he's just ahead of the curve.

[Mass Haas]

Not rattled: Marysville's Walker off to fast start in Brewers' organization

By Ryan Klocke, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.

 

April 21--The home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers is currently useless, the result of a phenomenon that never occurred during Mike Walker's Marysville High days: snow.

 

Eight inches of it, in fact. From first base to third, from left field to the bleacher seats, the place where the former Indians' baseball star is starting to find his groove, to feel at home and show he belongs is inundated with a wintery mix.

 

That's what the local meteorologists call it -- like the gentleman from the ABC affiliate. With a tone of exasperation, he told the greater Green Bay area Wednesday, "boy oh boy, let's hope the snow is behind us." Twenty-eight degrees three days before Easter isn't just bad baseball weather, it's bad everything weather.

 

Naturally, games have been canceled, leaving little recourse for Walker but to hit in indoor cages and take grounders off random floors. But he's shrugging it off.

 

He's been through worse, much worse. Plus, he's hitting. He's hitting it all over Time Warner Cable Field, which when not snowed in, is where he's been shining for the Milwaukee Brewers' class-A affiliate. Through 11 games, he's hitting .371 with 13 hits, 12 RBIs and 10 walks in 35 at-bats.

 

"I don't know what to attribute it to," he said. "It's just baseball -- sometimes you see it, sometimes you don't."

 

There's more to it than him being on a simple hot streak, though. For Walker, playing and living in Appleton, Wis., is making an otherworldly difference for the third baseman. The people are friendly; the town of 70,000 is inviting and open. He feels warm and welcome, even amid a bitter April cold.

 

It's a complete turnaround from last summer's stint in rookie ball for the Helena Brewers. From the beginning, the situation was full of shocks and of "welcome to the minors" moments.

 

The day after his 22nd birthday, Walker left everything he knew, saying good-bye to a girlfriend, family and Northern California. The University of the Pacific standout was excited to report as a 14th-round pick in Montana.

 

Upon arrival, he and a teammate were picked up by their host mother, and piled into the car for the ride to where they'd be staying. Everything was normal until she turned around and said, "By the way, I live in a trailer park."

 

Walker's new confines had wheels for a foundation. He would share a room. His homesickness exacerbated, and after a 1 for 3 start, he went more than two weeks without a hit.

 

He finished rookie ball hitting .277, and put those memories behind him with a steady steam of solid play this season.

 

Plus, he likes his teammates on the Timber Rattlers. Plus, his team bus has WiFi, so he can stream Netflix and check Facebook on the way to Midwest League road games. Plus, he lives in an apartment now -- something that can never be taken for granted.

 

"I actually have my own room," he said.

 

As for the best moment of this improved situation? Well, there's two.

 

The first came in his second game with the Timber Rattlers, when he roped a single to left field in his second at-bat. In the season opener, Walker went 1 for 3, just like he did in rookie ball before that disastrous drought at the plate. That routine "1B" was absolving: It wasn't going to happen again.

 

The second was his walk-off bomb against the Peoria Chiefs on April 2. It gave his team a 2-1 victory, and you can tell he's excited by the way he flips his bat in the YouTube video.

 

"If you can make it through rookie league," he said, "then you're pretty well-set mind wise."

 

Actually, Walker's biggest preoccupation right now is trying to avoid his good numbers. He doesn't check stats, and will reiterate how it's a long season when questioned about his early success. When he steps to the plate, he purposely tries to hide his eyes from the big outfield scoreboard where his average is displayed.

 

The numbers Walker seems most concerned about is those of his brother Davis, who's a senior on the Indians' baseball team. His are just a bonus.

 

"I'm trying to have fun on the field," Walker said.

[battlekow]

No Brewers minor leaguers made this week's Baseball America Prospect Hot Sheet proper, but RHP Tyler Thornburg does have helium:

HELIUM WATCH

You may be tempted to write off 22-year-old college righthanders in the low Class A Midwest League, but that's not advised in the case of either Wisconsin's Tyler Thornburg (Brewers) or Cedar Rapids' Daniel Tillman (Angels), two products of the 2010 draft. While neither has prototype righthanded starter's height—Thornburg is listed at 5-foot-11; Tillman at 6-foot-1—both have premium velocity and plus breaking pitches.

Thornburg, from Charleston Southern, sports a 1.04 ERA after two starts, having fanned 13 and walked two in 8 2/3 innings. A premium athlete, he sits in the mid-90s and unleashes a hammer curveball.

[battlekow]

Per Chris Mehring, C Cameron Garfield should be activated off the DL on Monday.

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattlers profile: No. 33 Mike Walker, infielder

Compiled by Mike Woods, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

Quick hits

 

- Age: 22.

 

- Position: Third base.

 

- Height, weight: 6-4, 206.

 

- Bats/throws: Left/right.

 

- Hometown: Marysville, Calif.

 

- Notes: Selected by the Brewers in the 14th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. … Drew 60 walks in 74 games with Helena last season. … Through Friday, Walker was 10th in Midwest League batting with a .371 average, was tied for second in home runs (three) and was tied for fifth in RBI (12) … He led the Midwest league in on-base percentage (.522), slugging percentage (.714) and on-base plus slugging percentages (1.236).

 

Favorites

 

- MLB team growing up: "San Francisco Giants."

 

- MLB player growing up: "Jeff Kent. I couldn't tell you why. He had a moustache and my dad had a moustache, I think he kind of reminded me of my dad. He was kind of that unheralded guy in the lineup behind Barry Bonds and I really liked that about him. He didn't talk a bunch to the media and I respected that about him. He wasn't a huge star because he didn't have a wish for it."

 

- Current MLB player: "I kind of stopped idolizing players since I've gotten a little older because I've realized they're all people just like we are. They make mistakes, just like we do. If I had to pick somebody, I'd probably say Ryan Braun."

 

- Sport other than baseball: "Basketball. I was a good basketball player in high school, played four years. I think I scored 10 or 11 a game but we had a guy on our team that scored like 30 a game so I just kept feeding him the ball and we were pretty successful, so I didn't have to do too much. But I love basketball."

 

- Food: "Give me a pulled pork, my dad's steak — my mom cooks some great mushroom chicken. Love that. I love macaroni and cheese, too. I know it's pretty standard but I'll eat that every day."

 

- Thing about Marysville: "It's a small town, small-town feel. So you walk someplace and everybody knows pretty much everybody by their first name. That's nice. Anywhere you go, you're going to know somebody."

 

- TV show: "I like 'The League.' It's on FX. It's about Fantasy Football. I love that. It's a great show. I love 'Always Sunny in Philadelphia.' That's another one. It cracks me up."

 

- Musical artist: "I'm kind of into slower stuff. Lately, it's been 'Drum Major Instinct.' He used to be the lead singer for 'Revolution.' "

 

- NFL team: "Niners all the way. I've got to stay loyal."

 

Q&A

 

Q: You've dodged tornados and seen snowstorms and gallons of rain, so what do you think of Wisconsin and its weather?

 

A: "Not a huge fan so far, got to be honest. That's all right because I like Appleton a lot. I'm a big fan of Appleton. Being from California, a lot of people think it's just sunshine there, but I'm from Northern California, so we actually get quite a bit of weather there, too. So it's not completely out of the norm for me."

 

Q: What do you like about Appleton?

 

A: "You've got to understand that, and I don't want to bag on Helena (Mont.) at all, but last summer, I played in Helena and that wasn't my kind of town. You drove around and it was a lot of boarded-up buildings and whatnot. Take the Helena mall, for example. You walk through the Helena mall and there are actually three stores open. I walk through the Appleton mall and everything is open. Maybe my standards are just low coming out of that, but I just like it. It seems like the people are really friendly here."

 

Q: Given the horrible weather, are you surprised by your fast start?

 

A: "Somewhat. I grew up and played in this weather. My senior year in high school, I ended up playing in only 13 games because it was such a rain-shortened season. So I'm kind of used to cold weather, but this cold of weather is somewhat of a different story. So I am I surprised? Yes, because notoriously I've been somewhat of a slow starter. But I'm sure not complaining."

 

Q: Do you just feel locked in? Is it your concentration level or just seeing the ball well?

 

A: "It's a combination of all those, plus it's just baseball. What can you say? Sometimes, you're swinging it; sometimes, you're not. It seems, when things are going well, pitchers are just throwing you strikes. It seems they're throwing you balls right down the middle. When you're going bad, you step up there and you're down 0-2 before you even know it and pitchers are just carving you up. I really can't tell you what the difference is when you're going great and when you're going not so great. Just chalk it up to baseball. It's a weird game."

 

Q: You hit a walk-off home run last Sunday. When did you last hit a walk-off?

 

A: "It was my first one and I kind of feel bad because I stood there and watched it a little bit. I normally don't do that kind of thing but I got caught up in the moment. If I could do it over, I wouldn't have done that. But, shoot, it was my first one and I'm not going to be too hard on myself. Great feeling. It was a lot of fun and I always wanted to jump onto home plate like that."

 

Q: But you didn't remove your helmet before you got there. Rookie mistake?

 

A: "Very rookie mistake. I watched the video on YouTube and I'm just kicking myself for not tossing my helmet."

 

Q: How'd you end up at the University of Pacific?

 

A: "There were a couple of other schools but I came from a very small town, small high school — my graduating class was like 200 people — to be honest with you I didn't have really any other (Division I) offers. I wanted to go play in the Big West (conference). I wanted to play for (former major leaguer and Pacific coach) Ed Sprague. I wanted to play Division I baseball, so it was kind of a no-brainer for me."

 

Q: How was your experience there?

 

A: "I really liked my experience there. The first two years were a little rough for me. It was a big learning curve. Going from not a great baseball program at Marysville High School to an actual Division I program where people know what they're doing. So it was a big learning curve for me, but once I caught on, I started really enjoying myself."

 

Q: How'd it feel to be drafted?

 

A: "It's probably something I'll never forget. I was sitting there with my girlfriend and I just remember getting about 10 text messages in about 30 seconds. I wasn't even watching the draft. I was too nervous. I just got 10 text messages in 30 seconds and just remember thinking, 'God, I think I got drafted.' That was a special moment for me."

 

Q: What's your most prized sports possession?

 

A: "I caught a home run ball at AT&T Park (in San Francisco) off the bat of Preston Wilson once. That was pretty cool. I also have a Barry Bonds autographed baseball. I prize that a lot."

 

Q: How'd you get Bonds' autograph?

 

A: "I just got lucky. There are autograph signings before games. I showed up a little bit early to the game one time and he just happened to be the guy who came up into the stands to sign autographs. I heard that was pretty rare so I just got lucky."

 

Q: Any significance to No. 33?

 

A: "No. I could lie to you and tell you it was Ed Sprague's number, but to be honest with you, it was like my fifth choice, if that. I wanted No. 3. I wanted No. 21. I wanted No. 12, No. 25 and I didn't get any of them. So I walked into the clubhouse and I had No. 33."

 

Q: Favorite sports moment you've ever been a part of or watched?

 

A: "I remember watching in 2002 the Giants' playoffs games with my dad and my brother and the rest of my family. And just going nuts when they went on that run pretty much every other night when they were playing and went all the way to the World Series. That was a really great time for me. I'll always remember those days."

 

Q: Best advice you've ever received?

 

A: " 'Don't let them change you' — the day I was drafted, from Ed Sprague."

 

Q: Even hate to ask this, but out of curiosity, how many people kid you about the possibility of playing for the Texas Rangers and …

 

A: "Oh my God, I hear you. I hear that one every day and it's funny because everybody thinks it's original. I've been hearing it my whole life. I really don't understand why because Walker is not that uncommon of a last name but, hey, shoot, whatever. I'm not complaining."

 

The Tool Box

 

Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson breaks down infielder Mike Walker:

"Last year, he played mostly third and first. He's a typical corner guy with some pop. The most impressive thing about him at the plate, at least from what I've seen in spring training, was his plate discipline. He rarely goes outside the strike zone. I think, last year, he had 60 walks in a short season. That's remarkable. That's the one stat that really jumped out at me. That's what I've preached the last two years as hitting coach — there are two things you can control in competition and that's getting back on time ready to hit and pitch selection. If you can do those two things, especially pitch selection, you're consistently swinging at balls in the zone, you're going to have some success. That shows some maturity on his part.

 

"His glove, everything he can get to, he's made the plays. He doesn't have a real quick first step and that's a part of his game we're working on — explosiveness and making sure we're ready on time defensively and our crossover steps, being able to cover as much ground as possible when you see initial contact. As far as the routine plays are concerned, he's made every one of them through spring training and the first part of the season.

 

"Obviously he's off to a pretty good start with the bat. … But to be a true professional baseball player, the consistency has to show up. And that's what we're trying to develop. And when these guys show they can do things consistently, they'll be out of here because that is what this is all about."

 

Mike Walker plays third base for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. / Post-Crescent photo by Ron Page

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20110424&Category=APC020602&ArtNo=104240640&Ref=AR&MaxW=300&Border=0