Link Report for Wed. 8/24 -- Arnett encouraging; DSL wins first playoff game

[Mass Haas]

Rattler Radio Post-Game Thoughts

Where can you find a monkey and a dog working on their herding skills? Nick Shaw keeps an eye on them between innings as the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers host the Kane County Cougars on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. Photo by Ron Page/The Post-Crescent

 

http://cmsimg.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=U0&Date=20110825&Category=APC0206&ArtNo=108250801&Ref=PH&Item=14&Maxw=640&Maxh=410&q=60

[Mass Haas]

Link also contains a Timber Rattler Photo Gallery

Despite loss to Kane County, Wisconsin starting pitcher Eric Arnett has his best outing of season

by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent staff writer

GRAND CHUTE — Eric Arnett sent an urgent message to the Milwaukee Brewers' organization Wednesday night: Don't give up on me.

The former No. 1 draft pick has been a keen disappointment in his brief professional career, but the 6-foot-5, 219-pound right-hander on Wednesday showed the talent and tenacity that convinced the Brewers to make him the 26th overall pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft.

The 23-year-old Arnett delivered one of his best starts as a pro. Although he was the losing pitcher in Wisconsin's 4-1 loss to Kane County, Arnett's power pitching was a bright spot. He allowed two earned runs on five hits with a season-high eight strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.

His 2011 record with the Rattlers may have dropped to 0-3, but Arnett's performance was highly encouraging. Two of the hits he surrendered were of the infield variety, including a bunt single.

Arnett overmatched hitters at times, striking out the side in both the first and third innings.

"He was outstanding," said Wisconsin pitching coach Chris Hook. "You saw some tenacity. You saw some aggressiveness. That's the best I've seen him."

Arnett pounded the strike zone all evening, not walking a hitter. Of his 100 pitches, 72 were strikes.

"I wasn't too happy with the result, not getting a W, but I felt good about what I did," said Arnett. "I was able to pretty much put the ball where I wanted to. It was an all-around good outing. I probably should have taken a little more fielding practice, though."

Arnett was referring to his first-inning throwing error, when he fielded a potential double-play ball but threw wild to second. It was the first of two Rattlers' errors in the inning that led to the game's first two runs.

Arnett's fastball topped off at 92 mph and he had a sharp slider, which he used as his out pitch. He also mixed in an effective change-up.

"His slider was really tight and he used that in all counts," said Hook. "He had the change working as well as a split-finger (fastball). He kind of put it all together tonight. It was fun to watch."

Arnett had little command of his change-up entering the season, but threw it for strikes Wednesday.

"That's a pitch (the change-up) I had before, but I could never get it over the plate," said Arnett. "But this year, something clicked. It's not my best pitch, but now I can throw it over the plate."

It was Arnett's third start of the season for Wisconsin and his second quality start after limiting Quad Cities to three runs on four hits with seven strikeouts on Aug. 14. He lowered his 2011 Timber Rattlers' ERA to 4.34.

Arnett missed the start of the season with rotator cuff tendinitis before posting a 4-2 record at Helena in the Pioneer League with a high 5.19 ERA. But he did have 59 strikeouts in 52 innings.

"I wish this would have come a bit earlier, but better late than never I guess," said Arnett, who is rated by Baseball America as the Brewers' 18th best prospect. "Hopefully this will carry over into my last two starts and then I can go to Arizona and work on some stuff."

Arnett's impressive start was good news for a Brewers' organization that has taken some heat for investing a No. 1 pick on Arnett. The former University of Indiana standout entered the season with a career 3-13 record and 6.18 ERA. He spent most the 2010 season with Wisconsin and posted a 1-9 record with a 6.70 earned run average in 20 appearances and 16 starts.

His stellar outing Wednesday, though, provides hope he can develop into a big-league pitcher.

"This guy has been through a bunch," said Hook. "But to me, there is a difference in what he's doing now and how he's going about his work. There's just a different intensity to him and I think it's showing."

[homer]

Not totally dismissing Arnett's numbers - they are encouraging - but KC is one of the worst hitting teams in the Midwest League.

[Mass Haas]

Helena Independent Record recaps the road contest --

 

Brewers struggles continue

One inning was really all Ogden needed.

The Raptors scored seven runs on just two hits in the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday, breaking the game open and beating the Helena Brewers 10-4 at Lindquist Field.

Helena finished the game with the same number of hits as Ogden (five), but the difference in the contest was three Brewers errors.

The Brewers took a 3-2 lead in the fourth frame when Steve Felix hit his first home run in a Helena uniform, a two-run shot to right field.

The game stayed within one run until the bottom of the sixth, when the Ogden onslaught began. With one out, Helena starter Tommy Toledo hit Scott Schebler with a pitch, Matt Kirkland reached on a Kyle Dhanani fielding error and Toledo walked Jeff Hunt to load the bases. Two runs then came in on an error by Toledo, when the pitcher dropped the ball and allowed Justin Boudreax to reach first safely. Hunt stole home during the next at-bat, and Toledo was pulled after he issued back-to-back free passes.

Noel Cuevas then struck a three-run triple off of reliever Seth Harvey, the Raptors’ first hit of the inning. Ogden added another base on balls and RBI single before the inning finally ended with Kirkland striking out, as the hosts batted around.

Dhanani led the Brewers at the plate in a 2-for-4 performance, with a double and two runs scored. He was the only Brewer slugger with more than one hit in the game. Yadiel Rivera and Max Walla also added extra-base hits to go along with Felix’s bomb. The Brewers were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.

In addition to errors by Dhanani and Toledo, Parker Berberet was called for catcher’s interference.

Toledo (0-5) took the loss despite hurling a one-hitter.

The Florida product gave up seven runs, of which just one was earned, and walked four in 4 1/3 innings.