Your 2012 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

[Mass Haas]

Latest player Q&A / profile from the Post-Crescent -- SS Yadiel Rivera

[Mass Haas]

Bob Brainerd's latest Rattlers feature profile - 1B/LF/DH Jason Rogers

 

Bob does a nice job with these articles...

[TURBO]

Bob Brainerd's latest Rattlers feature profile - 1B/LF/DH Jason Rogers

 

Bob does a nice job with these articles...

 

Just in time for his promotion.

[Mass Haas]

Mike Woods of the Post-Crescent with a feature on supplemental 1st round OF Mitch Haniger, who appears oddly topless in his photo

[TooLiveBrew]

I love this quote from Matt Erickson in that piece --

 

“The great thing about baseball, once you’re drafted, everybody now kind of becomes the same,’’ said Erickson. “And the game separates who can play and who can’t play."

[logan82]

I love this quote from Matt Erickson in that piece --

 

“The great thing about baseball, once you’re drafted, everybody now kind of becomes the same,’’ said Erickson. “And the game separates who can play and who can’t play."

Probably more than in the NFL or other pro sports(besides hockey) where draft picks usually can be expected to contribute pretty quickly.

[TheCrew07]

True but baseball in itself is pretty unique in that high school kids can come right to the minor leagues. Usually college would wash out a very high percentage of those high school kids prior to the draft. If all players had to go to college or some secondary league before being drafted you could have like only 3 minor league levels total and players would move more quickly to MLB as you'd be drafting all 21-22 year old players that had already established a track record of success against "elite" competition. They wouldn't need 40 rounds to fill out MiLB rosters either...

[logan82]

True but even after that more players make an impact within their first 1-2 years in basketball or football. Not to many players are at the MLB level at the age of 21-22 compared to the other 2 sports.

[CheezWizHed]

If all players had to go to college or some secondary league before being drafted you could have like only 3 minor league levels total and players would move more quickly to MLB as you'd be drafting all 21-22 year old players that had already established a track record of success against "elite" competition. They wouldn't need 40 rounds to fill out MiLB rosters either...

 

Except college BB would be very different. You would have a LOT more colleges playing BB (maybe UW-Madison could start again). I would guess that it would simply mean drafting nearly the same number of players out of a lot more levels of competition in college (after the initial 3-4 years at least).

[Mass Haas]

Another nice Bob Brainerd Sports32 Rattlers profile -- catcher Cameron Garfield

[Mass Haas]

RHP Chad Thompson is the latest interesting Q&A feature from the Post-Crescent staff

[Mass Haas]

FGCU alum Barnes off to solid start with new offspeed offerings

By Andrew Sodergren, NaplesNews.com (FL)

 

When former Florida Gulf Coast University hurler Jacob Barnes was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 14th round of last year’s draft, he admitted he was more of a thrower than a pitcher.

 

He got by with throwing primarily fastballs, which was fine at the collegiate level, because he has a good one.

 

In his first professional season pitching for the Helena Brewers in the advanced-rookie Pioneer League, Barnes was still mainly pumping the heat on his way to a fine 2.12 earned run average in 18 relief appearances.

 

The Brewers wanted him to work on his offspeed pitches and refine his approach, as more advanced hitters can hit the fastball, even the quality 92-95 mph heater Barnes possesses.

 

Now a member of the Class A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Barnes has made the transition from thrower to pitcher. In 40 1/3 innings, he’s allowed just 27 hits, posting a 3-2 record with a 2.45 ERA. Opponents are hitting just .193 against him.

 

“At this level, you have to show your offspeed pitches a lot more and throw them anywhere in the count,” Barnes said. “Last year, I had success by spotting my fastball and just flipping up a slider here and there to keep the hitters honest. Now, I’m throwing as much offspeed stuff as my fastball.”

 

The change-up, in particular, has become a nice weapon. Barnes uses that pitch as much or more than the slider, the breaking pitch he’s always had. With three effective pitches, Barnes has been able to keep lineups off-balance. Although he has pitched primarily in relief (he had one spot start among his 13 appearances), Barnes has been paired up with another Wisconsin starter, which gives him set days to pitch, just like a starter. In a recent relief appearance against the Clinton LumberKings, Barnes worked five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with a career-high nine strikeouts, showing he certainly has the stuff to get a lineup out multiple times through the order.

 

“(The Brewers) have talked about maybe having me start somewhere down the line, but for now I’m in the bullpen,” he said. “I’ve been stretched out for some longer outings, which has allowed me to get a better feel for all of my pitches. I’m just trying to pound the zone, not trying to be too fine or trying to hit every corner.”

[Mass Haas]

Cream City Cables -- Lance Roenicke Q&A

[Mass Haas]

Bob Brainerd's latest sports32.com profile is on OF Mitch Haniger.

 

As usual with Bob's Rattlers features, worth your click and time.

[Mass Haas]

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers outfielder Haniger to aim for next season after injury

by Tim Froberg, Post-Crescent staff writer

 

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers fans had the opportunity to get a glimpse of top prospect Mitch Haniger, but it wasn’t a long look.

 

Haniger, a supplemental first-round draft pick and the 38th overall selection by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2012 Major League Baseball first-year player draft, has a partial tear to the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

He’s not expected to need surgery but will likely miss the rest of his first professional season.

 

Timber Rattlers manager Matt Erickson confirmed the injury and doesn’t anticipate that Haniger, who played center field with the Rattlers, will return to the team this season.

 

Haniger is visiting team doctors in Arizona and will start a rehab program there. He is expected to be available for the Brewers instructional camp in Arizona in the fall.

 

“I’d assume he’s done for the season and that they’re going to want him at full strength and ready to go for the instructional league, and then come in fresh next year for spring training,” Erickson said. “It was a pleasure to get a brief look at him. You can see why he was selected as a sandwich pick.”

 

Haniger injured his knee while sliding into home plate. He was placed on the Timber Rattlers’ disabled list July 6.

 

“It was an awkward slide where he ended up banging the knee,” Erickson said. “He’s taking it well. Being a competitor, he’s obviously disappointed, but he’s an intelligent, mature kid and knows what he has to do.”

 

In 14 games and 49 at-bats with the Rattlers, Haniger hit .286 with a home run, four doubles and eight RBI.

 

“He can do a lot of things on the field,” Erickson said. “He’s got a great arm and he made some quick adjustments at the plate on a steady basis. He was very solid in all facets of the game.”

 

The Brewers selected Haniger with the high draft pick they received as compensation for the free agent loss of slugger Prince Fielder.

 

Haniger played college baseball at Cal Poly, where he was the Big West’s Conference’s leader in home runs (13), RBI (64), slugging percentage (.626) and total bases (132).

 

After the Brewers selected him, Bruce Seid, Milwaukee’s amateur scouting director, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “I don’t want to put emphasis by saying this is going to be a 40-home run guy, but I will say Mitch Haniger is a pretty damn good baseball player. He can hit. He has power. He has a chance to play center field. He’s a smart, heady baseball player.”

 

The Timber Rattlers have been battling injuries during the second half of the season. Infielder Greg Hopkins, one of the club’s top hitters, has been sidelined the past 11 days with a concussion after being hit on the head with a pitch. Erickson said that Hopkins is progressing well and expects him to return to the lineup in the near future.

 

“Unfortunately, the whole Brewers organization has had to deal with injuries at different levels, starting at the major leagues,” Erickson said. “We really didn’t have many injuries the first half, but we’ve been battling them the last couple weeks. But we’re starting to get some of those guys back.”

[TooLiveBrew]

I know I'm not the first or only person to bring this up, but the most exciting season by any hitting prospect so far might just be Cameron Garfield's .301/.395/.485/.880. Yes, he hasn't played fulltime (iirc he was still working his way back from the 2011 knee injury early this season), but with the way he's hitting, I hope a bump to BC will be coming fairly soon.

 

A 21-yo catcher & former 2d-round pick... yeah, I think it's definitely time to start getting legitimately excited about Garfield.

[nate82]

I know I'm not the first or only person to bring this up, but the most exciting season by any hitting prospect so far might just be Cameron Garfield's .301/.395/.485/.880. Yes, he hasn't played fulltime (iirc he was still working his way back from the 2011 knee injury early this season), but with the way he's hitting, I hope a bump to BC will be coming fairly soon.

 

A 21-yo catcher & former 2d-round pick... yeah, I think it's definitely time to start getting legitimately excited about Garfield.

 

I was excited about him last year before he injured his knee. Still would like to see him play a full year before I get excited again. That knee injury may mean he has to move out of the catcher position at some point in his career though. The question mark on him then will he be able to hit enough at another position probably 1B, 3B, or a corner OF spot along with the defensive concerns more so at 3B and the corner OF spots.

[Mass Haas]

Bob Brainerd's latest sports32.com Timber Rattlers profile is on OF Lance Roenicke.

[Mass Haas]

The nice part about TWC Sports 32 broadcasting the occasional Rattlers game is it get us another Bob Rainerd feature, this one on Max Walla.

[Mass Haas]

Post-Crescent Q&A with catcher Cameron Garfield

[Mass Haas]

Cream City Cables: Nick Ramirez Q&A Interview

[Mass Haas]

OF Max Walla is the latest Q&A profile from the Post-Crecent

[Mass Haas]

Bob Brainerd's latest sports32.com Timber Rattlers profile is on RHP David Goforth.

[Mass Haas]

Bob Brainerd's latest sports32.com Timber Rattlers profile is on OF Ben McMahan.

[Mass Haas]

Healthy Garfield a prospect again

Brewers’ farmhand looks like he has bright future

By Josh Flickinger, Beloit Daily News staff writer

 

Cameron Garfield had a very simple goal as he completed his rehabilitation from knee surgery this spring: once he was allowed to be back on the field, stay off the disabled list.

 

That may seem modest for the former second-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers, but with the way the catcher’s career has gone, his goal was not only realistic, it might have been considered lofty.

 

Garfield injured his knee early in the 2011 season. When he was in Arizona rehabbing the injury, he ended up re-injuring it, causing him to have surgery. In all he played just 15 games of the season due to the knee injury and he was sidelined into the 2012 season.

 

He was finally cleared to begin playing games in late April and after a month of time in extended spring training, he joined the Timber Rattlers in late May.

 

“Especially after last season, I just wanted to be able to contribute to the team and be consistent throughout the season,” Garfield said. “It’s definitely a good feeling to be able to stay healthy and put together at-bats.”

 

Garfield is hitting .282, with nearly half of his hits going for extra bases. The power potential he flashed in high school, but was not apparent in his first couple of pro seasons, has been prominent in 2012.

 

His two home runs Monday night against the Beloit Snappers at Pohlman Field brought his total up to eight, double his career high, in just 156 at-bats.

 

Rattlers manager Matt Erickson believes that the future is bright for the San Diego native.

 

“I’m excited for him,” Erickson said. “I had him a few years ago when I was the hitting coach, and you could see the potential that he had then. This year he’s getting some opportunities to play more consistently, and he’s putting up some numbers. If he can stay healthy, he’ll continue to progress and get better. He’s a kid that you cheer for and get excited about.”

 

A major question facing Garfield is whether he can stick long-term at the catcher spot.

 

The fact the Brewers have developed two solid major league catchers in Jonathan Lucroy and Martin Maldanado (originally an Angels farmhand) gives Garfield hope for his future behind the dish as well.

 

“I’ve come a long way from when they signed me, and (catching instructor) Charlie Greene is a big reason for that,” Garfield said. “That being said, there’s a lot more room for improvement, too. I take a lot of pride in working with the pitching staff, and feel like their ERA is my ERA, too.”

 

Erickson made no bones about the fact that Garfield’s work behind the dish needs to get better.

 

“It’s a work in progress,” Erickson said. “He battles back there and he’s certainly not afraid to get dirty. He’s an excellent blocker, and he’s getting better at calling the game too. The arm has been a question. When he first came up here, he had a nice arm, but inconsistent. He’s getting a little better with his footwork, but he’s going to need to continue to improve there.”

 

With the Timber Rattlers already in the playoffs by virtue of their first-half title, there isn’t much pressure the team feels from glancing at the standings. Garfield says that has been a little challenging.

 

“It’s really hard right now,” he said. “We are just really trying to focus on each game instead of looking at the bigger picture, but we have been ready to start the playoffs now for a long time.”

 

Garfield comes from a military family and was born in Germany. Although he only stayed there a short time before heading to the United States, he still has plenty of family in the country and might even receive an opportunity to represent Germany in international competition.

 

“The German National team just gave me a call and they want me to play for them in the qualifiers of the World Baseball Classic,” he said. “That’s right after the season, and it’s actually in Germany. I still have to talk with the Brewers about it, but I’d love to play.”

 

After many difficult days filled with long hours of rehab, things finally seem to be coming together for Garfield.