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

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattlers notes

by Mike Woods, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

GRAND CHUTE — As Matt Erickson watched the rain pelt the tarp at Fox Cities Stadium on yet another gray, overcast day, he mused, "Welcome back to Appleton."

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' return home likely matched the weather: gloomy.

First, their late surge to try to capture the Midwest League's final first-half playoff spot fell just short. Then, on Thursday, they learned their two best pitchers, Tyler Thornburg and Austin Ross, had been promoted to High A Brevard County. The two combined for 13 of the Rattlers' 38 first-half wins.

But this level is all about progress, so Erickson was hardly disappointed that two of his players are advancing.

"The way I see it, we're part of development," he said. "So anytime somebody has success here and gets to move to another level, that's a good thing. It's a good thing for the organization, a good thing for the player and I think it's a good thing for the people who have worked with them."

Thornburg was 7-0 with a 1.57 ERA, which placed him second in both categories in the Midwest League. He also dominated hitters, striking out 76 in 68 2/3 innings. Ross cooled down after a fast start and finished 6-3 with a 3.25 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 69 1/3 innings.

"It gives us some motivation to talk to the rest of our pitchers," Erickson said, "about how somebody needs to take those roles and pick up those wins."

Right-hander Jameson Dunn is being counted upon to pick up some of those wins.

"For us, the guys that are still here, it's a great opportunity," he said. "A lot of guys would love to be starters and maybe don't get the opportunity. So now, it's at hand and so we need to do the best we can with it and, hopefully, it works out for us."

As far as his team's first-half play, Erickson had hoped for a bit better but was pleased how it played out.

"I think it was great that we got to play every game in the first half that meant something to this ballclub, which isn't always the case," he said. "Some people get down 15, 20 games below .500 and it's tough to start motivating through winning. You have to find some other ways to motivate.

"We played really good baseball when we went into Peoria (the final week) and took care of them handily. Then it was unfortunate, we had a 7-0 lead in that first game in Cedar Rapids and some things happened that let them get back in it and, to their credit, they took it from us. The next day, we didn't play very well at all but didn't quit and ended up tying the game and thought we were going to immediately steal a game from them the next day, but they won it in extra innings."

In the end, the Rattlers finished 2.5 games behind Quad Cities for the final first-half playoff spot.

"But, the final day, we were there. We played a very clean game, mistake-free and had a chance to have the best record in the Brewers organization," said Erickson of the Cedar Rapids series. "That was the motivation the last day and it worked out. We finished six games above (38-32), obviously, a little bit short of what our goal was — to play some extra baseball and get into the playoffs — but overall did a lot of good things, too."

***

 

Jake Odorizzi, who was one of four players sent to Kansas City in the deal for Zack Greinke, put together a 5-2 record and 2.71 ERA in the first half of the season with High A Wilmington in the Carolina League. He had 93 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings.

Jeremy Jeffress, who began the year with the Royals, returned to Triple A and has struggled. He is 1-3 with a 6.23 ERA with the Omaha Storm Chasers, managed by Clintonville native Mike Jirschele. Jeffress went 1-1 as a reliever with the Royals. In 14 games, he had a 1-1 record and 4.70 ERA before being sent down. His strikeout-to-walk ratio was 13-11.

Also, center fielder Lorenzo Cain is batting .305 in Omaha, with eight homers and 39 RBI in 64 games. He is expected to replace Melky Cabrera for the Royals sometime this season.

The final player in that trade, shortstop Alcides Escobar, has played in 74 games and is batting .248 with one home run, 20 RBI and an OBP of .284. He also has a .985 fielding percentage, with six errors in 406 chances.

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattlers profile: No. 31 Jameson Dunn, pitcher

compiled by Mike Woods, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

Quick hits

- Age: 24.

- Position: Pitcher.

- Height, weight: 6-4, 225.

- Bats/throws: Right/right.

- Resides: Carrollton, Texas.

- Notes: Signed by the Brewers as a non-drafted free agent on Jan. 15, 2011, out of Oral Roberts University. … Played for the Green Bay Bullfrogs.

 

Favorites

 

- MLB team growing up: "The Texas Rangers. Just being there, always have been a Rangers fan growing up and going to the games."

 

- MLB player growing up: "I liked Pudge (Ivan Rodriguez) and John Wetteland. I like Wetteland because he was kind of a grimy player. He always had on that hat and you could see all the sweat marks on it and he was a closer so he'd come in throwing gas. Always entertaining to watch."

 

- Sport other than baseball: "Is fishing a sport? Fishing and, if not fishing, playing basketball."

 

- Food: "Oh, ribs for sure. My grandma always used to make ribs for me and it's stuck as my favorite food."

 

- Thing about Carrollton: "Probably my bed."

 

- TV show: "The Office."

 

- Musical artist: "Definitely Eddie Van Halen. My dad grew up playing in a band so we'd watch him. We always liked Van Halen because he was so different and so much better than everybody else."

 

- Thing you own: "My car, a Jeep Wrangler. I haven't seen it in a while but it's definitely my favorite thing."

 

- NFL team: "The Cowboys. But I rooted for the Packers (in the Super Bowl) because I had a host family when I played for the Green Bay Bullfrogs in college and they got me liking the Packers a little bit. A little bit more than the Steelers."

 

Q&A

 

Q: What was it like to be in the playoff chase the last week of the first half?

 

A: "It was a lot of fun. It was really intense. Everybody is hanging on the edge of their seats in the dugout. When you're pitching, you're just trying to grind it out, doing what you can for as long as you can. … The guys, you could tell, were definitely playing for something. So it was a lot of fun."

 

Q: Why Oral Roberts?

 

A: "I grew up in Dallas and my pitching coach in Dallas was (Oral Roberts coach) Rob Walton. You know, you go do lessons as a kid. He was pretty young back then, giving lessons at the baseball academy. I was always going and seeing him and my parents loved him. He was kind of a hard-nosed guy. He was on me when I was such a little kid that my parents loved having that. A strictness about him.

 

"When they went to the Super Regionals in '06 and they played Clemson, I was in junior college at the time, and I just remember watching it on TV and watching Rob and going 'Oh yeah, he's there.' I ended up calling and they ended up coming out and watching me play. I always really liked him and trusted him so I thought it would be a good fit for me."

 

Q: How did you hurt your knee in the last regular-season game of your senior year?

 

A: "I was pitching and it was a comebacker to the mound and I tried to make a play to my right and my cleat got stuck in the clay. When I went to pivot, my knee went out of socket completely. I ended up putting it back in place myself, because I knew what I had done. I had done it before. So I just punched the side of my knee as hard as I could and it, click, went right back in. And the trainer was on the ground touching me and I was just screaming at her because she was messing with it."

 

Q: And when the draft came?

 

A: "I ended up not getting drafted because of that. I had thought, from what people had told me, that I had a pretty good shot. I had gone into meetings where the scouts would come in and call you in and ask you a bunch of questions, fill out a psychology test and all sorts of stuff. So I felt pretty good about it. And then, when I got hurt, I figured somebody might take a chance on me in the later rounds. It didn't end up working out for me."

 

Q: So what happened next?

 

A: "The day after the draft, I got calls from three or four teams who wanted to watch me throw. The Brewers were the first to call and wanted to watch me the soonest. So I packed up that day and drove to Dallas, got home at 2 a.m., woke up, threw for the Brewers guy and he wanted to sign me. So he goes out to his car to get the paperwork and says 'I just have to make one more phone call to make sure your medical stuff went through.'

 

"Well, when he did that, he told me he couldn't sign me. So I was pretty bummed out. I didn't think I was going to get to play. I threw for the Padres. The Royals were interested, the Tampa Bay Rays, but they all kind of said the same thing — it ain't going to fly because the team would have to pay for my surgery because I needed to have it."

 

Q: So what happened after you had the surgery?

 

A: "I had it toward the end of July. Rehabbed it. Went back and took some classes at school and just worked out. Three months went by and I started calling the scouts who were interested in me before and they said the same thing: 'Well, we'll try and get you in.' The Brewers guy, he didn't even answer. I just left him a message. That was like in September.

 

"So I ended up going to see my girlfriend at the time in California for Christmas. A couple days after New Year's, I was getting ready to come home and I get a phone call from the Brewers guy: 'Hey, sorry it took me three months to get back to you, but we'd like to watch you throw again. You have to come out to Arizona, pay for your own ticket and hotel, but it's an open tryout and just seeing if you wanted to come and do it.' "

 

Q: Were you even prepared for this?

 

A: "I hadn't picked up a baseball in probably two months because I hadn't heard back from anybody. I didn't think I was going to play. I was looking for a job. So I played catch into a screened fence for two days in a row and then I hopped on the plane and flew out there and threw for them and did good enough where they called me back and signed me. I ended up going home for just a week then coming back out for early spring training. It's kind of been a crazy ride."

 

Q: How good did it feel to finally get your chance?

 

A: "It was awesome. The biggest thing was you don't realize how much you miss it until you get down on the field and throw on your spikes and your pants and your socks and starting stretching with the guys and everybody is cutting up and that's when it hits you, how much you just love to play the game."

 

Q: Do you see yourself as a starter or a reliever?

 

A: "I like to start but I've always liked the bullpen. I've always liked coming into the game in the later innings. To me, it's always been a lot easier to get three outs than 27."

 

Q: How was your overall experience at Oral Roberts?

 

A: "It was good. I think it definitely kept me out of a lot of trouble there. Most guys you hear about them going away to school and … there are so many distractions. Being there, we had curfew every night. I had to live in the dorms all three years I was there. It gave me a lot of time to get a lot better in baseball because it was really my only outlet to forget about school or any problems you go through while at that age. I really enjoyed the education that I got. My teachers were great."

 

Q: What do you hope to do with your finance major?

 

A: "Honestly, I'd like to work at a company that is a lot like how a team works, as far as having certain players in different roles, and as long as everybody takes care of those roles, the company will succeed. And everybody helps each other and does what they can to pick each other up when they can. A lot of that is like baseball and that's where I would like to find in a job."

 

Q: What's you most prized sports possession?

A: "I really don't know if it's really … my grandpa and I used to do a lot of fishing so he gave me a fly rod and a reel one year for Christmas. The rod, actually, my buddy broke it but I still have the reel and never really use it. It's just a good memory of growing up. As far as baseball, I always liked the shirts when you go to the regionals, with all the teams and the brackets and everything. I always thought that was cool. You're in the moment and your team is in the battle and I always thought that was cool to have the shirt that says you're in a regional."

 

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

 

A: "When I was 18, we played in this tournament out in California and a lot of guys on my team are in pro ball. One of them was Chase Daniels, the quarterback from Missouri. I played with Austin Jackson, the centerfielder for the Detroit Tigers now. Grew up playing with (Clayton) Kershaw — a lot of guys from Dallas are in the big leagues. But, one year, we were all 17-year-olds and we went out to California, playing all these 18-year-old all-star teams and we ended up winning the tournament."

 

Q: Best advice you've every received?

 

A: "Probably my coach at school who always talked about baseball being the greatest teacher of life. Just the ups and downs of the game and to be the same person every single day you show up. How that correlates to life, if you can be solid (on the field) and you can be a solid human being, then you'll have a pretty good understanding of who you need to be as a man."

 

The Tool Box

 

Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook breaks down Jameson Dunn:

"College guy, experienced. Undrafted free agent. Kind of a bonus signing for us, just dropped into our lap in the offseason. He's got an average-to-plus major-league fastball, 91 to 93, sometimes 94 (mph). Good downhill plane. Aggressive, competitive, all those good things. He's got a curveball cutter/slider and a changeup that he's developing.

 

"Basically three pitches that he's developing. He was a fastball guy and would throw that as hard as he could, his curveball as hard as he could and slider as hard as he could and just went after it. So he's got three pitches, the curveball, changeup and slider that he's all kind of getting a feel for. He does have a little bit of a feel but it's something that he needs to get better at.

 

"He does a good job of controlling the running game, quick to the plate. And fielding his position, he does a good job. And he has a bulldog mentality, which is a good thing to have. An older guy. He's kind of like a (Austin) Ross in those terms but not as refined. But we expect him to have some success. Get him some innings here the second half of the season and see what happens."

 

Timber Rattlers pitcher Jameson Dunn was signed by the Brewers as an undrafted free agent. / Post-Crescent photo by Wm. Glasheen

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20110626&Category=APC020602&ArtNo=106260561&Ref=AR&MaxW=300&Border=0

[battlekow]

Dunn sounds like a sleeper, especially if he gets moved to the bullpen, where presumably his fastball would touch the mid-90s.

[patrickgpe]

anyone know who is slated to start at miller park on wednesday, its looking like brooks hall, right?

[Mass Haas]

anyone know who is slated to start at miller park on wednesday, its looking like brooks hall, right?

Correct, as per the Rattler Media Notes.

[Mass Haas]

Central grad Eric Marzec has sights set on majors

By Josh Weir, CantonRep.com (Ohio) staff writer

Chris Hook noticed a baseball appear above the outfield fence. Then again. And again. So did the batters in this early season minor league game, since the ball was popping into their peripheral vision.

 

Hook, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers pitching coach, called his bullpen, from where the ball was rising.

 

“They said, ‘It’s Marzec. He can’t sit still,’ ” Hook said with a laugh.

 

Eric Marzec had been throwing the ball in the air and catching it as he passed time in the bullpen. The Central Catholic High School graduate and Jackson Township native is a man on the move.

 

He hopes in more ways than one.

 

The 23-year-old right-hander entered the Midwest League All-Star break at 2-1 with two saves and a 1.71 ERA in 22 appearances out of the bullpen for the Timber Rattlers — the Milwaukee Brewers’ low Single-A affiliate based in Appleton, Wisconsin.

 

Marzec’s stats are the kind that produce excited calls from family and friends. They even got him considered for the Midwest League All-Star game.

 

“It would’ve been nice, but at the same time, that’s just stuff,” said Marzec, who analyzes his performances with the caution of someone being constantly evaluated. “I want to show these guys I’m good enough to go to the next level.

 

“Hopefully in the next three months, I’ll get the call to Florida and show them what I can do there.”

 

Florida — Brevard County, to be more specific — is where the Brewers’ high Single-A affiliate is located. It represents the next step in a journey he hopes leads to the big leagues some day.

 

SO FAR, PROGRESS

 

Marzec overcame injury problems at Youngstown State to get drafted last year by the Brewers. Now he is trying to overcome the odds of going from 30th-round pick to Major League Baseball player.

 

Marzec is a little more than a year into his pro career after spending last season with the Brewers’ rookie-level teams in Arizona and Montana. The feedback has been positive, whether it is from the Brewers directly or via the agency (Diamond Sports Management) that represents him.

 

“Are we really happy with that draft pick? Absolutely,” said Lee Tunnell, the Brewers' minor league pitching coordinator, who pitched parts of six seasons in the big leagues with the Pirates, Cardinals and Twins. “With the way he’s contributing and the chance he has to move up the line, we feel really good.”

 

Tunnell described factors beyond stats alone that help determine who advances in the minors.

 

How are the players in front of him doing at the next level?

 

How would moving him affect his current team? With the Timber Rattlers located in the midst of the Brewers’ fan base, the organization likes to field a successful product in Appleton.

 

How is he handling hitters as they make adjustments to him through the course of the season?

 

The Brewers like Marzec’s resiliency and the way he has bounced back pitching on consecutive days as a primary set-up man. Hook loves Marzec’s intensity.

 

KEY IS CONSISTENCY

 

For now, most of Marzec’s efforts concentrate on one goal: “Consistency on an every-night basis,” he said. And that can be difficult as a player develops and continually learns to adjust to new challenges, all the while riding the bus to destinations as far away as Dayton.

 

“I was a power pitcher,” Marzec said. “Now that I’m in the pros, I don’t throw hard anymore (comparatively speaking). I throw 90-93. That’s good, but it’s not 97. So you’re not overpowering guys anymore. You have to use your head and pitch.”

 

Hook put Marzec’s fastball at 88-90, a tad below the big-league average of 90-91, he said.

 

“That really doesn’t mean a whole hill of beans,” said Hook, who pitched two years in the big leagues with the Giants. “If you’re able to execute at 88-90, you’re going to get guys out.”

 

Marzec throws a cutter and two variations of a slider. A changeup is on his offseason to-do list.

 

Hook said Marzec’s “breaking stuff can play on the big-league level right now,” but it is imperative Marzec learns how to command his fastball to both sides of the plate. The Brewers want to see Marzec master the ability to move his fastball across the bottom of the strike zone before he moves to high Single-A.

 

“The higher up the level you go, the fewer mistakes you can afford with the fastball,” Tunnell explained.

 

FULL-TIME PITCHING

 

Keep in mind, Marzec is a full-time pitcher for the first time. He batted and played the field in college.

 

“You still see that newness at times,” said Hook, mentioning mechanics. But he lauded Marzec’s ability to make adjustments, a sign of the 6-foot, 190-pounder’s athleticism.

 

In his three years with the team, Hook can’t think of a pitcher who better prepares himself than Marzec. Marzec is up by 8 a.m. every day, something he’s ragged on about by his teammates.

 

Marzec once was told 97 percent of high school players won’t play Division I college baseball, 98 percent of college players won’t make it to the minors, and 99 percent of minor leaguers won’t wear a big-league uniform.

 

He doesn’t know if those numbers are exact, but they have resonated with him.

 

“When I make decisions, I try to think about that,” Marzec said. “Yeah, maybe what I’m doing is out of the norm, but I’m not trying to be like the whole team.”

 

Marzec has places to go.

Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

http://www.cantonrep.com/archive/x438675408/g12c0000000000000009546e901f4e3fea1a12b2ed5f02a4342e6ae30aa.jpg

[And That]

If they're having Marzec add a change-up, and if he only throws in the low 90's anyway, I wonder if he'll be a rotation candidate next year.

[battlekow]

MH pointed out to me today that we hadn't seen Reggie Keen in action since the 18th. I asked Keen on Twitter what was up and he said he was dealing with a pinched nerve but was almost back to 100% and hoped to play in Miller Park tomorrow.

[TooLiveBrew]

Wow, major points to Reggie Keen for his Twitter background image.

[Mass Haas]

Rattlers' Chris Dennis is the prize

by Jim Oskola, Appleton Post Crescent

 

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers as an organization are very involved in the community from putting on baseball clinics for children to fund-raising activities.

 

Tuesday night during the game against the Peoria Chiefs the Timber Rattlers offered themselves up as dates.

 

Yep.

 

It was sort of the board game "Mystery Date" meets "The Dating Game" meets Minor League Baseball.

 

The purpose was to raise funds for the Christine Ann Center.

 

"The Timber Rattlers do a lot of that stuff," Rattlers outfielder and "Win-A-Date" winner Chris Dennis said. "Whatever I can do to contribute, whatever they put it toward, you know it's helping somebody. Whatever I can do and whatever the Timber Rattlers want me to do, I'm more than happy to help out."

 

One thing the Rattlers' sauve, debonair bachelor won't have to do is plan the date.

 

"I have no idea," said Dennis about what the date will entail. "They told me you will be taking a girl out on a date. It's part of the gig and I'm looking forward to it. It's all fun."

 

All the Rattlers who participated as well as those fans who bought tickets to be a part of the contest deserve a pat on the back for making fun at the ballpark beneficial for a worthwhile organization.

[Mass Haas]

No surprise here -- good for all involved! Nice touch announcing it at Miller Park...

 

Timber Rattlers and Brewers extend partnership through 2016

By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

 

GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and the Milwaukee Brewers have extended their current player development contract through the end of 2016. The Brewers have been the parent club for the Midwest League team since the start of the 2009 season.

 

"This was an easy decision," said Wisconsin Timber Rattlers president and general manager Rob Zerjav. "One of the goals when we first started this relationship was to build a long term partnership with the Brewers to allow baseball fans in Wisconsin to see the future stars as they moved up the ladder in the organization. This extension allows fans to continue to see Milwaukee's prospects right here in Northeastern Wisconsin."

 

The current PDC was scheduled to end after the 2012 season. The new extension will begin at the start of the 2013 season.

 

"We have always viewed our partnership with the Timber Rattlers as a long-term relationship and we are pleased to extend our affiliation with them," said Brewers Executive Vice President - General Manager Doug Melvin. "This is a natural fit for both organizations and the affiliation has allowed us to send players on rehab assignments just a short distance away along with additional opportunities such as hosting a minor league game at Miller Park tonight. It's a win-win partnership that has also played an important role for our fan base throughout Wisconsin."

[Mass Haas]

RHP Brooks Hall's hometwon paper keeping tabs on him --

 

Hall off to fast start in Wisconsin

By Scott Adamson, Anderson (South Carolina) Independent Mail

Brooks Hall is just eight games into his pitching career with the Milwaukee Brewers farm club in Wisconsin, but the former T.L. Hanna standout has already shown the Timber Rattlers his arm has plenty of bite.

On Wednesday Hall took the hill against the Peoria Chiefs, going 5.2 innings and earning the win in a 5-1 Rattlers victory. The game was played at Miller Park, home of the Brewers, and Hall provided some early excitement when he followed up a one-out triple in the first inning by retiring the next eight batters he faced.

Hall, who turned 21 on June 26, allowed just one run on four hits while striking out a batter.

The former T.L. Hanna standout now stands at 4-1 for the Class A club, which competes in the Midwest League out of Grand Chute, Wisc.

In eight appearances and seven starts Hall has pitched 45.2 innings, allowing 17 runs (16 earned) and 46 hits.

The 6-5 right-hander has yielded just one home run and issued 10 bases on balls while fanning 22 batters.

He won his debut with the Rattlers on May 21, getting the decision in a 4-3 victory over the Burlington Bees.

A fourth round pick (136th overall) in the 2009 amateur draft, Hall signed with the Brewers in August, 2009, forgoing a scholarship offer from South Carolina. The National League organization — impressed with a fastball frequently clocked in the mid-90s and a wicked slider — gave him a $700,000 signing bonus.

Hall began his pro career in 2010 with the AZL (Arizona League) Brewers, going 3-4 with a 5.44 ERA in 14 games.

Hall was late to the game as a pitcher, working just five innings as a junior at T.L. Hanna.

But by his senior year Hall was showing much greater promise on the mound, going 4-1 and logging a perfect game before an elbow injury confined most of his play to shortstop and designated hitter.

Although he was forced to take the summer following 12th grade off to help get his arm back in pitching condition, big league scouts were undeterred.

When he signed with the Brewers, Hall said he hoped to be on a major league roster in three years.

“It’s going to be hard, it’s going to be a long trip, a long road,” he said. “But I’m going to work hard and make it.”

So far, so good.

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattlers appreciate time at Miller Park

by Mike Woods, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

MILWAUKEE — As the doors opened to the visiting clubhouse at Miller Park, Stosh Wawrzasek's eyes doubled in size as his mouth hit the floor.

"Wow," he said.

He stopped a few feet inside and scanned the surroundings — the bank of flat screens hanging up in the middle, the handful of black leather couches and all those lockers made from mahogany that encircled the huge room. Finally, he spotted his No. 40 hanging over a locker in the corner.

He walked over, set down his bag and pulled out his two Timber Rattlers baseball caps, one for pregame and one for the game. He carefully put them side-by-side on the locker shelf. Then he reached in and grabbed his glove, placed it next to his hats, with his name and number facing forward. Now, it was time to hang a couple of shirts inside the locker.

Finally, the crème de la crème: his camera phone. He took a few steps back, bent his knees ever so slightly and went paparazzi on his locker.

Like everyone else in that room, the odds of some day being a regular in a major-league clubhouse are long. But for at least one day in their careers, they would live the life.

"From my point of view, I think it's a great courtesy for the players to get a taste of what it's all about in Miller Park, which is the ultimate goal," Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson said. "To give them a full day, and they don't cut any corners. It's top-notch. It's an awesome day for everybody involved."

Once settled, it was only a matter of seconds for the players to make a beeline to the chow line.

"With all those options," second baseman Greg Hopkins said, "I was just trying not to get a stomachache before we play. The jambalaya was pretty awesome."

Then like any new place, it was time to explore. A couple of players headed out to the field for pictures and, as Chris Dennis was about to take one of Wawrzasek, his 240-pound teammate, he asked; "Do you want me to use the wide angle?"

One of the first places that caught their eye was the small room right next to the dugout because, let's face it, it's not every day you find a five-foot Everlast punching bag in the bathroom.

"I know they want guys to take their anger out on that instead of taking a bat and smashing the (expletive) out of the lockers," catcher Tony Pechek said. "But I'm not an angry person."

This would not be Pechek's first time playing on a big-league field, as growing up near Denver he played at Coors Field three times during his high school days.

"You just feel real small for some reason," he said. "Everything goes just straight up. But for that segment in time, you really do feel like a big leaguer. I can tell you that much."

This was not Hopkins' first taste of the big time either. Back in his days at St. John's, his was the first team to play a game at the Mets' new playpen, Citi Field — even before the Mets.

"That really made a lot of the Mets fans mad," he said.

But then Bernie Madoff came along and Mets fans had somewhere else to direct their anger.

As the players spread out, a few made their way to the players' lounge, a room that contained one large TV, six bar-sized video games and a remote-controlled massage chair, which Dennis took to quickly.

"This is awesome," he said. As he prepared to exit, he tapped the remote. "It even says goodbye to you. Did you hear that? That's unbelievable. I've got to get me one of those, that's for sure."

After 90 minutes of getting acquainted in their plush surroundings, the team was taken on a stadium tour, and its first stop was the Brewers clubhouse, where the item that caught the majority of their attention was a WWE championship belt sitting between the lockers of Ryan Braun and Yovani Gallardo. Many players also took pictures of Zach Braddock's locker, the Brewers reliever who made a couple of rehab appearances with the Timber Rattlers earlier this season.

Dennis was one who captured an image of Braddock's locker and immediately forwarded it to him.

"I asked, 'Is this really better than your locker in Appleton?' " he said.

Then it was up to Bob Uecker's radio booth, where the tour guide told a story about the legendary Brewers announcer during the 1964 World Series when he played with St. Louis.

During warm-ups prior to Game 7, he said, Uecker grabbed a sousaphone that was on the field for the band that was about to play. Turns out, he took it to the outfield and began to shag fly balls with it before putting it back, with more than a few bumps and bruises.

"The bill he got to pay for that sousaphone was about as much as he received for his World Series check," the tour guide said.

Before exiting, Pechek took a picture of Uecker's empty chair, and then had a better idea as he handed his camera to a teammate and climbed into the seat.

"Welcome fans," he began, doing his best imitation of Uecker from "Major League," "to another season of Indians baseball!"

Aside from a team picture in centerfield, the rest of the day was their normal routine. Just in an abnormal setting, one that many will never experience again.

"I mean it's no secret that the vast majority will never get to the big leagues," Erickson said. "But the people that don't will always have this memory.

"In the past, something like this has never happened. I'm glad that the big-league clubs recognize it and I think minor-league baseball in general is becoming more popular all the time. Because of that proximity and the relationship between the Timber Rattlers and the Brewers being so close, it makes a lot of sense to do something like this."

And the players were certainly appreciative, even for a relief pitcher like Wawrzasek, who didn't make it into the game.

"It was amazing," he said. "Best experience ever. It was a privilege what we received. It was awesome."

A couple of days prior to this game, Hopkins and some of his teammates attended a game at Miller Park as fans. But on this night, Hopkins got to walk in through the players' entrance at the south dock and left knowing he had himself quite the day, driving in four runs, including a three-run homer, in a 5-1 victory over Peoria.

But as he headed out the entrance, in front of him stood reality: the awaiting team bus and subsequent 4½-hour ride to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

"We were talking about this today. This is the level where there is nothing above this," Hopkins said. "And it seems like that, too. They have everything you need and they take care of you like kings. You want to stay humble throughout the process and I think that's what the good ballplayers do, and it was just kind of cool to see the perspective from this side. Just to visualize what could be in the future.

"It's nice to have that in the back of your head. Now you've got a taste of it and now we just keep on playing. It's back to reality, but now we have a light at the end of the tunnel."

Chris Dennis (left) of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers takes a photo of teammate Stosh Wawrzasek during a tour of Miller Park in Milwaukee on Wednesday. / Photo for The Post-Crescent by Katie N. Gardner

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[Mass Haas]

Walker keeps driving them home

by Jim Oskola, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

Mike Walker's run-scoring double against Kane County on Friday may not have helped the Timber Rattlers win a game but it did keep him near the top of the list in RBI leaders in the Midwest League.

 

Walker is second in the league with 61, trailing only South Bend's Yazy Arbelo who has 66.

 

"The numbers are there, somewhat, but there is always work to be done," Walker said. "You can never be satisfied and never be complacent. Shoot, we've got 60-some games left so hopefully, I can keep it up for the rest of the season."

 

Walker said that it's nice to be doing well but he still sees himself as a player with plenty of work to do.

 

"Defense," said Walker on what he wants to improve. "I want to play better defense. I don't know what I project as, if I project as a third baseman. I'd like to play third base but I know I've got to play better defense."

 

Walker is batting .293 with 15 doubles and 14 home runs. Walker has drawn 49 walks and stolen seven bases but a negative is his 90 strikeouts in 283 at-bats.

 

At the plate, Walker is just working on being consistent from day-to-day.

 

"You're going to get three hits every game but you can't get down on yourself," Walker said. "Basically, what I try to do every day is I never try to go three-for-four. I try to go one-for-one on every single at-bat. It's taking the at-bats one at a time and just staying in the present. It's something that I'm always working on."

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattlers profile: No. 5 Greg Hopkins, infielder

compiled by Mike Woods, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

Quick hits

 

- Age: 22.

- Height, weight: 6-1, 195.

- Position: Infielder.

- Bats/throws: Right/right.

- Residence: Mansfield, Mass.

- Notes: Selected by the Brewers in the 24th round of the First-Year Player Draft. … Attended St. John's University. … Played for the Haymarket Senators in the Valley Baseball League in the summer of 2009 and was named the league's most valuable player.

 

Favorites

 

- MLB team growing up: "Boston Red Sox.''

 

- MLB player growing up: "Nomar Garciaparra growing up and now I'm a big fan of (Dustin) Pedroia, (Kevin) Youkilis and I like Josh Hamilton.''

 

- Sport other than baseball: "Basketball. I played in high school and it's definitely my next favorite sport.''

 

- Food: "I'm going to have to go with homemade pumpkin pie with chocolate chips. That's mom's creation.''

 

- Thing about Mansfield: "We have what they call the Tweeter Center. They play a bunch of concerts there and it's a town over from Foxborough where the Patriots play. That's our little claim to fame.''

 

- TV show: "I like 'That '70s Show.' Big 'SportsCenter' fan, 'Baseball Tonight' — pretty original, right? But that's just how it is.''

 

- Musical artist: "It depends on what I'm in the mood for. I like 'Gang Starr,' which is my walkout. I like Joe Budden and I'll leave it at that.''

 

- Possession: "I'd have to go with the iPod. It's pretty handy and I like music. It comes in pretty handy, pregame.''

 

- Thing to do in Appleton: "I like spending time with my host family. I have a great host family. We have a good time. We have a little pond in their front yard where we hang out. Their dog, Reagan, I play with him all the time. It's Dean and Val Vosters. I want to give them a shout-out.''

 

- NFL team: "Patriots.''

 

Q&A

 

Q: So you're one of those die-hard Red Sox fans?

 

A: "Yeah, I love it. I grew up watching it. I'm just a big Boston sports fan in general. I love the whole Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. My parents grew up in the Bronx, so they're Yankee fans. Well, actually, my dad is a Yankees fan and my mom's a Red Sox fan.''

 

Q: How's that play in the family?

 

A: "Oh, it's all right. It's good for us.''

 

Q: How'd you end up at St. John's?

 

A: "A scout saw me in Massachusetts at the Bay State Games and I visited there. I liked the guys on the team and it just felt like a good place. I have family in New York and New Jersey, too. So that kind of helped.''

 

Q: Do the people of New York know St. John's has a baseball team?

 

A: "No, they really don't. We're kind of up and rising now. But whenever I tell somebody I went to St. John's they always say, 'Great basketball program.' ''

 

Q: How much fun was it going to college in New York City?

 

A: "It was fun. It was expensive, if you were going into Manhattan, but it was a good time. Manhattan was about 20 minutes away, so you had that to do. Queens was all right. It was a good school. I liked it.''

 

Q: What was it like to be drafted?

 

A: "I was still at St. John's and we had just gotten back from a regional game so we're in the locker room unpacking all our stuff. Two guys (on the team) had already gotten drafted and then I got the call. It was an exciting time. It was great. It was just a combination of excitement and knowing that hard work had paid off."

 

Q: How'd you celebrate?

 

A: "Went and got some pizza, some New York pizza with another buddy of mine, my roommate, who had been drafted by the Yankees.''

 

Q: How'd you spend your first check?

 

A: "I probably went and got some food with it because it wasn't much, I can tell you that.''

 

Q: What was it like going from New York to Helena, Mont.?

 

A: "Helena was very relaxing compared to New York City. There's a lot of hustle and bustle in Queens and Helena is, obviously, the complete opposite of that. You had mountains. You're surrounded by farm animals. Way more low-key.''

 

Q: What's your most prized sports possession?

 

A: "I'm going to have to go with my Big East Championship ring that we won in my last year, in Clearwater, Fla. We were Big East champions and we knocked off a couple of top teams in Louisville and UConn. We went through the losers' bracket and ended up winning the whole thing.''

Q: What's one thing you wish you could do over?

 

A: "I don't like living with regrets. I don't think I have many regrets. I don't know. I really don't have any.''

 

Q: What's the hardest thing about minor-league baseball?

 

A: "Can I say a bunch? The biggest thing is just getting used to the full season. The travel and the lack of sleep is the biggest thing. And also not eating as much as we need to. But it's just part of it. But you have to make a conscious effort of eating right, getting sleep when you can and just staying balanced.''

 

Q: Who's the most famous person you've met?

 

A: "I'd have to go with (Mets third baseman) David Wright. He was our guest speaker at St. John's one time.''

 

Q: What's your favorite sports moment you've watched or been a part of?

 

A: "I'm going to go back to the Big East championship. The whole dog pile on the field and just celebrating with teammates.''

 

Q: Best advice you've received?

 

A: "I guess I'd have to say you never know who's watching. Go out there and play hard. There are too many guys with talent who play this game, and in life. Just try to keep a good attitude because if you don't, guys will just cross you right off the list because they don't need to deal with it.''

 

The Tool Box

Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson: "Great versatility as far as the infield is concerned. He has played second and third base. He has played a great defensive third base for us in the first half. He can play the shortstop position; we haven't used him there. He's a gamer. He runs the bases hard. He runs them well. He struggled offensively early but he had a great month of June with the bat (when he hit .330) and so he has kind of solidified that four hole.

"We'll see where we go with the new people we've got and where he hits into our lineup. You know what you're going to get with him. Every day you put him in the lineup, he's going to bust his butt. Nice guy in the clubhouse to have.''http://www.postcrescent.com/odygci/p7/factboxfade.png

 

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20110710&Category=APC020602&ArtNo=107100571&Ref=AR&MaxW=300&Border=0

[And That]

I interviewed Jimmy Nelson the other day. Read about it.

[TooLiveBrew]

Nicely done, good read & you got way more than the stock answers.

[CheezWizHed]

Yes, very nice interview. Thanks for sharing. Love the website name, also.

 

FYI, I think there was one typo:

Finish this sentence: “If I were playing baseball, I’d be…”

 

I'm guessing you meant "weren't".

[And That]

D'oh! Thanks for noticing that and for the kind words.

[Mass Haas]

New agreement shows that affiliation helps Brewers, Timber Rattlersby Tim Froberg, Appleton Post-Crescent

GRAND CHUTE — Bob Radliff looked like he had been dressed by team mascots Fang and Bernie Brewer as he tailgated outside Fox Cities Stadium this week, enjoying a cold beverage and a warm summer evening with friends.

 

The Berlin man showed his support for professional baseball by wearing a Wisconsin Timber Rattlers cap and a Ryan Braun No. 8 Milwaukee Brewers jersey before Wednesday's Timber Rattlers home game against West Michigan.

 

His attire reflected the strong connection between the two franchises and a blossoming partnership that seems headed toward a long-term relationship.

 

Attendance at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium has surged since the minor league Timber Rattlers and Major League Brewers embarked on their baseball journey together in 2009.

 

Radliff was the type of customer the Timber Rattlers had in mind when they eagerly accepted an offer from the Brewers in late June to extend their player development contract for four more seasons through 2016.

 

"Actually, the Brewers approached us with a year left — they kind of beat us to the punch," said Timber Rattlers president Rob Zerjav. "We both agreed it has worked out extremely well. It was really a no-brainer."

 

"This is a natural fit for both organizations," said Brewers general manager Doug Melvin in a statement after the contract extension was announced. "It's a win-win partnership that has also played an important role in our fan base throughout Wisconsin."

 

The Timber Rattlers have been Milwaukee's low Class A affiliate since 2009. The club had previously been affiliated with nine major league franchises, including the Seattle Mariners from 1993 to 2008.

 

"We had a great relationship with the Mariners," Zerjav said. "Nothing was really wrong on their end. This just made more sense from every angle."

 

Soaring attendance

 

The Timber Rattlers' attendance numbers have soared since becoming a Milwaukee affiliate, giving local Brewers fans an opportunity to watch the organization's prospects in a comfortable, inexpensive setting.

 

The Timber Rattlers broke a club attendance record in their first season with the Brewers, drawing 253,240 fans to Fox Cities Stadium in 2009.

It was a huge spike from 2008, when the Rattlers drew 190,263 fans in their final year with the Mariners.

 

Wisconsin's attendance numbers dropped to 244,331 in 2010, but the Rattlers might have exceeded their record total had it not been for six rainouts compared to just two in 2009. In the case of a rainout, a doubleheader is usually played and single-day attendance is lost.

 

The 2010 attendance total also was the second highest in team history.

 

Heading into Friday night's home game against West Michigan, Wisconsin had drawn 136,615 fans to the Grand Chute venue. Zerjav says the Rattlers are projected to draw roughly 237,500 this season. That number would be higher had it not been for a cold, wet spring that already has produced six rainouts.

 

"We've had some weather issues," Zerjav said. "They say it was the third-wettest spring on record. But June was a very nice turnaround and July has been great."

 

Increased interest

 

Having an affiliate so close to Miller Park works well for the Brewers simply because of logistics.

 

Grand Chute is just a 90-minute drive from Milwaukee, allowing injured major leaguers to make tune-up rehabilitation appearances for the Timber Rattlers without having to hop on a plane. Team trainers and doctors also can monitor a player's health issues more closely than if he was playing with an out-of-state affiliate.

 

Rattlers tickets are usually a hot item when a Brewers player makes a rehab appearance in Grand Chute. A 2009 rehab start by former Brewers pitcher Jeff Suppan drew 5,325 fans to the stadium, close to its official capacity of 5,546.

 

For local Brewers fans, Milwaukee's player development contract with the Rattlers is a grand slam.

 

"Oh yeah, it makes a big difference," Radliff said. "It makes it a lot more interesting — gets you more involved. You tend to watch more closely. It's neat to watch the young guys grow and maybe make it to the majors."

 

Travis Arneson of Appleton attends three or four Timber Rattlers games per summer. He had previously been to only one game when the Rattlers were affiliated with the Mariners.

 

"I'm a big Brewers fan and I want to know what the future is going to bring," said Arneson, who celebrated his 30th birthday at Fox Cities Stadium on Wednesday. "It (the Brewers affiliation) is super important. It's a win-win for everyone."

 

Lisa Balog of Oshkosh sported a Brewers retro shirt as she walked to the end of a long line of customers waiting to file through the gates prior to Wednesday's game. It was a family outing for Balog, accompanied by her husband, Andy, and children Tyler, Jake and Luke, who at 4 months might have been the youngest fan in attendance.

 

"It's a great opportunity to see players who the Brewers feel have potential," Balog said. "Plus, it brings more star power to the Timber Rattlers when they're able to get a Brewer here to get some work in. We were pretty upset earlier this year because we wanted to come here and see Manny Parra pitch, but we couldn't make it."

 

The Brewers-Rattlers partnership also has produced a noticeable increase in merchandise sales at the Snake Pit, the Rattlers' team store that also carries Brewers merchandise. Some items — such as certain jerseys — are co-branded, with Timber Rattlers printed across the shirt and the Brewers' logo placed on the sleeves.

 

"We've always been real strong with our store sales, but that has gone up as well since we've become affiliated with the Brewers," Zerjav said. "The co-branded stuff has gone over real well."

[Mass Haas]

Missed this Timber Rattler photo gallery from the Post-Crescent earlier this week, which included this pretty amazing photo of Matt Miller by Ron Page.

 

Talk about perpendicular!

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=U0&Date=20110714&Category=APC0206&ArtNo=107140801&Ref=PH&Item=10&Maxw=640&Maxh=410&q=60

[Mass Haas]

Timber Rattlers profile: No. 16 Greg Holle, pitcher

compiled by Mike Woods, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

Quick hits

 

- Age: 22.

- Height, weight: 6-8, 240.

- Position: Relief pitcher.

- Bats/throws: Right/right.

- Residence: Fort Worth, Texas.

- Notes: Selected by the Brewers in the 11th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. … Was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 35th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, but did not sign. … Attended Christian Brothers Academy (New York) High School and then Texas Christian University. … Selected by Perfect Game as the Player of the Year in New York in 2007.

 

Favorites

 

- MLB team: "Seattle Mariners. I was always a big Ken Griffey Jr. fan. He was my idol growing up."

 

- MLB player: "Griffey Jr. He just did it all. He had a personality. His son was always with him and he always interacted with the fans, and his on-field ability just stood out over everyone."

 

- Sport other than baseball: "Basketball. Growing up, I originally thought I could play in college. I actually quit baseball my freshman year in high school. I played AAU and, actually, one of my teammates all through AAU was Jimmer Fredette. Awesome kid. In high school, he was dominant. He played in one of the lower classes. The kid could always shoot. I think the thing that changed his game was, at least from what I got to see, was his ability to create shots. A great guy."

 

- Food: "My mom made this shepherd's pie. Something that was always easy but you'd get home from practice and she'd have that at home."

 

- Thing about New York: "New York's home. That's where all my family is. I have a small family. My brother (Gary) is in Iraq right now. Going home has always been a big holiday thing and, during the holidays, I get to see everyone. It brings back a lot of stuff — see some people you haven't seen in a while. It's home."

 

- Item you own: "I guess I'd say my car. I have a Ford Focus. It's a small car, but I try to take care of it the best I can. It gets me around. I do a lot of driving, so just the gas mileage, I'm covered with that. Comfort's fine for a small car."

 

- Thing to do in Appleton: "Going to the gym. Especially in the profession you're in, you have to take care of yourself. Get there basically every day in some facet, whether I'm lifting or doing some recovery stuff. Being in relief, you have to throw every day so you have to keep your body in shape. It's a long season. That, and hanging around the house. You're playing so much, the down time you get, you want to take advantage of it."

 

- NFL team: "I never was a huge follower of too many teams. But I guess the Cowboys, since I got down to Fort Worth. It's sort of like a cult with the fans. Living so close to Cowboys Stadium, I just grew to like them."

 

Q&A

 

Q: Being a graduate of TCU, have you worn any 2011 Rose Bowl Champions T-shirts around town?

 

A: "My girlfriend was in town and she wore it to the gym one day and some of the people there were asking her about it. And she turned to me and said, 'What's the deal?' And I asked her, 'Do you realize where you're at?' But when I've worn stuff like that, it's almost more like a conversation starter than anything."

 

Q: Did you know any of the guys on the team?

 

A: "I was in class with a bunch of them. The quarterback, Andy Dalton, I'm pretty good friends with him. It was a lot of fun following them and then actually having time off to go to the Rose Bowl."

 

Q: What was it like to watch guys you know play in the Rose Bowl?

 

A: "It makes it more interesting. You go to other sporting events when you're younger, you know who people are, but to get to know them on a personal level and hang out with them, it makes it more interesting. It's always cool to have someone else to pull for. Usually it's you out there. You just have to return the favor and be there for them."

 

Q: How'd you rate your experience at TCU?

 

A: "I didn't know much about them beforehand. I'd heard the name somehow. I thought about going to Ole Miss and some other schools like that. TCU, well, Fort Worth is actually a lot like where I'm from in New York. It's like the southern version of it, if you can call it that. I went down there and I liked the guys, I liked the fit, the rest is history."

 

Q: You were drafted by the Yankees in 2007 but said no thanks. Why?

 

A: "I was a big kid and I threw hard but, honestly, I didn't think I was ready. Unless it was out-of-this-world, life-changing-type money, then I think you look at it a little different. But it's one of those things, knowing what you know now. I'd watch high school guys go and, having played against them — there are definitely your exceptions, guys who are ready for it — but I don't think I was one of them."

 

Q: What was it like throwing in front of general manager Brian Cashman at old Yankees Stadium?

 

A: "That was cool. You walk out onto the field — I'd been there a bunch of times when I was younger to watch games — but when you go out there and see the entire place empty and at the same time seeing front office guys while you're throwing … I threw pretty well. It was cool. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience. At that time, being in high school, a young kid, it was like I was star struck, as far as looking around."

 

Q: How neat was it for both you and your dad to be drafted by the Brewers?

 

A: "There's always these ties and stuff like that, but when you get picked up by any of the teams, that's special, let alone the same team your father (Gary) did however many years earlier. You look back and think, 'What are the odds of that?' Two guys, who could have gone to 30 teams two separate times and they end up going to the same team. That's pretty neat."

 

Q: What's your favorite way to pass time in the bullpen?

A: "You just get different conversations going the first couple of innings, about whatever. Then talk about how to pitch guys. Then, in about the sixth inning, you get up and start moving around and just get yourself ready."

 

Q: When the phone rings, do you feel anticipation?

 

A: "Obviously, you always want the ball in your hands when the game is on the line. But I think (pitching coach Chris) Hook and Matty (manager Matt Erickson) have done a good job of establishing roles. Basically, we have a 90 to 95 percent idea, even early on in the game, who's going to throw, based on who has thrown earlier in the week. I think that part says a lot as far as the way they're managing the team."

 

Q: What's the feeling like of getting the last out of the game?

 

A: "It's pretty awesome. It's pretty cut and dried what you have to do. But I'd have a couple of times this year where you get those first two outs, bang, bang. That third out, that's what makes the job so tough. You have to slam that door and don't give them any breathing room at all."

 

Q: How'd you spend your first check?

 

A: "Honestly, I haven't. I take that back. I bought some boots and some clothes and some cowboy hats. But it wasn't that much money I spent. Everything else has been invested and taken care of. I'm planning to get engaged this offseason and, down the road, you have to buy a house and there's rent. There's stuff you have to spend your money on, buying a car. Spur-of-the-moment kind of stuff isn't one of the things I've wanted to do."

 

Q: Most prized sports possession?

 

A: "I'm not a huge autograph guy but, when I was younger, my cousin gave me this box that said Barbie rollerblades and I thought, 'What's going on?' I opened it up and inside that box was an autographed framed picture of Ken Griffey Jr., my favorite player."

 

Q: Anything you wish you could do over?

 

A: "Slow college down. You get there and it's an awesome experience. I think a lot of stuff you want to slow down. Honestly, I don't really regret anything I've done. I'm pretty happy."

 

Q: Hardest thing about minor-league baseball?

 

A: "The travel is tough, but travel is one thing. Playing every day and having the right mindset. Being away from my family. Having a fiancé and planning to get married. It's just everything. It's a test. You're not making great money and you're not in the best towns, but that gives you the drive to keep playing better and keep pushing on to get better."

 

Q: Any significance to No. 16?

 

A: "I've worn 44 my whole life and then I thought about 16. My mom always mentioned it because I was born Nov. 16. So there's that and not too many people have it. And I sort of like it. It's treated me pretty well for the most part this year."

 

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

 

A: "I think it was the (College) World Series. It was real cool when we beat the University of Texas in the super regional in Austin. Any time you can beat them there, being a TCU guy, one of your rivals, especially on a baseball level, that was cool."

 

Q: Best advice?

 

A: "Take advantage of every opportunity you have. You only get the opportunity once, so whether it's taking care of your body or making the right decisions. Guys want to go out but it really doesn't benefit you. You go out and have a good time, but it really doesn't matter as far as the way they're coming after you the next day. So you have to make the right decisions and be ready to go out there."

 

Q: What's it like to play baseball while your brother, Gary, is in Iraq?

 

A: "I love him to death. You're playing a game and he's over there, life-is-on-the-line type of thing. It puts stuff in perspective big time. I think having a member of your family over there will do that for you. I honestly think it just puts everything in perspective. I mean, you're playing a game. People are over there risking their lives and putting us in a situation where we can have this stuff and live the way we do."

 

Q: Is it impossible not to wonder if your name is on the list for the Francisco Rodriguez trade?

 

A: "Anytime you hear that, you can't really worry about the stuff that's out of your control. If it's going to happen, it's going top happen. Just like who you get drafted by, one of the billion things that throughout the course of the day is just going to happen. It's going to go down and, if it were to happen, you'd just go and give it your all the same way you would here."

 

The Tool Box

 

Timber Rattlers pitching coach Chris Hook breaks down Greg Holle:

 

"Greg has an upper 80s, low 90s sinking fastball. Good, hard, heavy sinker. Developing both the slider and the split. Came in with the slider that we changed a little bit. But he's developing a good, average split finger and the slider is coming along. Big, athletic guy. Durable guy. And a guy I feel once he's in the big leagues could pitch every night. For us, he's done a great job on the back end of the bullpen. He's got the chutzpah on the back end of the bullpen where he enjoys that moment. It's been a pleasure to watch him work. We've put him in all kinds of fires and he's put the fires out. Right now, he's in a position where we're trying to extend him out. We're trying to get him some extended innings where he can work on those pitches and develop those pitches."

 

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers photo

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20110717&Category=APC020602&ArtNo=107170527&Ref=AR&MaxW=300&Border=0

[mrpackersfan1]

2 words. Eric Marzec

 

http://web.minorleaguebas...=t572&t=p_pbp&pid=594916

[mrpackersfan1]

Look at his 2010 and 2011 stats. Once he is activated off the DL, he should be promoted. Dont know why.

[Mass Haas]

Hat tip to BrewCrewBall for the find, and we'll link here but also copy for the archives here, hopefully Mr. Brainerd won't mind and will appreciate the wider reading audience...

 

***

 

Branching out from the Family Tree

by Bob Brainerd, sports32.com (Time Warner Cable)

 

http://www.sports32.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Pac-Tom.jpghttp://www.sports32.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Pac-John.jpg

http://www.sports32.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Pac-Jim.jpg

Joey Paciorek admits he really doesn’t know any better. Baseball has been in his blood and a topic of dinner table conversation not to mention family get-togethers, thanks to a father and a pair of uncles who all made a name for the Paciorek family name in the major leagues.

“Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been around it,” said Paciorek, a 15^th round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2007. “I actually lived in Japan for a couple of years while my Dad was playing over there. I’ve just always been around it and really don’t know any better…it’s always been baseball since I can remember.”

Check the branches on the top tier of the Paciorek family tree and you’ll see not only Joey’s father Jim, but Jim’s brothers and Joey’s uncles, John and Tom. John had the briefest career of the three, notching just three at-bats in 1963 with the Houston Colt .45s, but making the most of his last day of the season September call-up to record three hits, draw a pair of walks, score four runs and drive in three.

Uncle Tom was drafted by the Dodgers in 1968 and garnered notable footnotes during his career. Tom was named The Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year in 1972, was traded to Atlanta in 1976 for Dusty Baker, then posted a .326 average with Seattle in 1981 for the second best hitting mark in the American League that season.

“Never saw him play, it was before my time, but I asked him recently what is the best advice he can give to a guy like me coming up in the minor leagues,” said Joey. “He said confidence is the biggest thing…every time you step on the field; go out there like you’re going to be the best player that day. It might not always be the case but go out there like you’re going to be the best one on the field. That is something that really stuck with me.”

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But it was the daily dose of Dad that kept Joey intrigued to pursue baseball and follow the lead set by his elders. Jim, drafted by the Brewers seven rounds higher (8^th) than his son 25 years later, spent most of his career in the minor leagues. His call-up to the show came in 1987, and 48 major league games later, it was over. But the game grabbed Jim’s attention and taught him lessons on the diamond and in life he would one day dispense to his son.

“When I signed, he told me about how to carry myself on and off the field, being a professional,” said Paciorek. “Not a whole lot of technical stuff. Every once and awhile he gives me some little tidbits, but as far as carrying myself on and off the field, how to handle clubbies, coaches and teammates and how to be a good teammate.”

Old school Brewers fans may recall Jim Paciorek’s shining moment highlight in 1987. During Juan Nieves’ no-hitter against Baltimore on April 15^th, Paciorek made a skid mark, full extension lunge in leftfield. At the time, it was an exclamation point play, but still only the second inning. Only seven innings later, when the Nieves no-no was complete, did the game rewind show Paciorek’s catch as a bonus clutch performance to help preserve history. Quiz the son about it now, and Joey will laugh and tell you he’s in the dark and possesses faint knowledge of his father’s lasting legacy with “Team Streak.”

“He’s not a big glory day’s guy,” said Joey. “He’s pretty quiet, but he’s got a lot of knowledge about the game. Mostly, it will be to me to go out and play your game the way you know how to play it.”

Jim now enjoys retirement and golf in Tucson, his Arizona destination of choice after coaching his son at Blaine High School in Washington. Joey blossomed as an all-league selection all four years of prep baseball, hitting .516 as a senior. Like his father Jim, who played football as well as baseball at the University of Michigan, the son showed off his athletic side.

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“I played three sports in high school…football, baseball and basketball, but baseball has always been my number one sport,” said Paciorek. “I might have been able to go somewhere and play football, but it’s always been baseball.”

Jim had versatility back in the day, able to play first base, third base and the outfield. Joey was a carbon copy of his old man, getting his name on lineup cards all over the diamond as his minor league climb began in the Brewers system. Paciorek even provided pitching relief in a 10-1 loss against Ogden during his days with Helena of the Pioneer Rookie League. But there was still a vacant spot where Paciorek might be able to catch the attention of the Brewers brass.

“I came down early in January for spring training for a winter program, and a few days in to that, I was a utility guy who could play around the infield, so they thought learning how to catch might help me in the long run,” said Paciorek. “The more positions you can play, the better, so just to have that under my belt helps.”

Eager to heed the advice bestowed upon him from John, Tom and Jim, Joey discovered that the open invitation was worthy of an immediate RSVP.

“It started off as just a situation that I could catch in an emergency situation,” said Paciorek. “Spring training came around, and I was playing mostly infield, and then on the last day they called me in and said they wanted me to work on my catching a little more and start doing it full time.”

Paciorek got his feet wet back in Helena, setting up shop behind the plate for seven games before getting a return ticket trip back to Appleton. Unlike a season ago with the Timber Rattlers, Paciorek has a new set of responsibilities, not to mention, his in-game vantage point.

“Handling your pitchers is the biggest thing, taking care of the pitching staff and calling the game, you’ve got a lot on your shoulders,” said Paciorek. “Everything is in front of you and you control the game, kind of like the quarterback out there. I’m getting more comfortable in that roll and being a leader out there on the field.

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“There are still a bunch of technical things as far as receiving, blocking, throwing and all that stuff, but I feel it’s coming along pretty well. I’m just trying to get comfortable controlling my pitchers and calling a good game out there.”

One lesson learned has Paciorek playing part-time psychiatrist to the young guns who hurl the ball in his direction. The former infielder used to make an occasional trip for a pep talk at the mound. Now, his words are more than just idle chatter.

“Everybody’s different, and you’ve got to know how to handle them,” said Paciorek. “If they start struggling you’ve got to know when to have a mound visit and know what to say to them. You have to know what their best pitches are if they start getting behind in counts.

“There’s a lot to it and I’ve got a lot of learning to do but I’m up to the task.”

Rather than grumble and grouse about having to haul on the harness, shin guards and catcher’s mask, Paciorek has jumped into his new assignment with genuine enthusiasm and a willingness to follow the blueprint process. He picks the brain of any catcher who has strapped on the “tools of ignorance,” including Brewers roving instructor Charlie Greene.

“I’m just taking it day by day, trying to learn,” said Paciorek. “All I can do is keep a good work ethic, keep a good attitude about it and see what happens down the road.”

Paciorek was even pleasantly surprised to find out a full plate of catching duties on defense does nothing to tarnish or impede any progress at the plate.

“It hasn’t taken away from my hitting,” said Paciorek. “If anything, I’ve almost matured a little bit as a hitter because as a catcher, you start learning pitchers tendencies and what they’re trying to accomplish on the mound, so when I step into the box I feel like I have a little better idea what the pitcher is trying to do.”

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James Joseph Paciorek prefers “Joey” over “Jim” to avoid comparisons or expectations associated with his father. The son isn’t hiding behind the Paciorek family tree. In fact, he’s hoping to be the next branch that extends from the roots of three former major leaguers.

“I don’t feel any extra pressure because of the name,” said Paciorek. “I’ve got my own expectations and the expectations that the coaches have for me. I don’t feel any added pressure having the last name.

“I think it’s a pretty cool thing, actually. I talk to some managers who say ‘Hey, are you related to Jim or Tom or John?’ I think it’s a cool thing; I don’t look at it as a curse at all.”